


Fight to Fade Away

by AchillesLament (11Mydesign11), Destinyawakened, Identically_Different



Category: Hannibal (TV), Hannibal Extended Universe - Fandom, Jagten | The Hunt (2012)
Genre: Amnesia, Anal, Divergent, Dogs, First Times, Hannigram - Freeform, M/M, PTSD, Post Season 3 Finale, Second Chances, Smut, Starting Over
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-22
Updated: 2018-03-28
Packaged: 2019-03-08 06:01:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 24,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13452030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/11Mydesign11/pseuds/AchillesLament, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Destinyawakened/pseuds/Destinyawakened, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Identically_Different/pseuds/Identically_Different
Summary: Lucas can't remember who he is, all he has is a trail of papers with his name on it and the picture of a man who is familiar and feels a little bit like home.





	1. Chapter 1

An embrace, a loving clutch of acceptance, bound in blood, and breath. That was the last thing Hannibal saw and felt before he was thrust into the cold, rolling Atlantic. 

Then there was nothing. No recollection, no past. Only here, now. He was alone, as he got up and brushed off his pants. How did he get here? _Where_ was _here_? He had no idea. The stabbing pain in his stomach woke him further and he could see he was hurt, badly. Shot? Yes. There was a whispering knowledge that confirmed it. A doctor is what he needed, and after a quick search through his pockets, he found an ID inside his wallet, which was thankfully wrapped inside a ziplock bag. _Convenient_. 

Okay, so he evidently had... what? Gone for a swim? It was clearly planned that water would be a part of how he ended up on that beach. But something felt off. Of course, that could be due to the fact that he had no idea _who_ he was. Ah, the ID. Quickly he looked at it. _Lucas Schou._ Interesting. He was a Dane, and only temporarily here in the states. 

That could be dealt with later. Upon further inspection of his wallet, he saw two addresses on a slip of paper tucked into one of the compartments; one in Denmark, and the other close by. The home of a doctor. Or was it his own? This was either very well thought out or one hell of a happenstance. Be that as it may, he pulled out a set of keys from the bag, one looking as though it belonged to a vehicle, and made his way down the sandy banks to find it.

As he walked, he pondered, wincing, and trying not to blackout. _Why did it seem like a betrayal to walk off that beach?_ It was as though he was missing something, or _someone_ , but alas, there was nothing to be done about that. All he could do was hope. So he did, for what is a man with no past to do but that? 

***

A few hours and a lot of pain later, he'd made it to that address. How he managed without passing out at the wheel, was a miracle itself, but he had; when he went inside, he found the doctor waiting. Again, how? The cabin was deep in the woods and the man seemed quiet. The doctor patched him up without much word and gave him instructions, as well as antibiotics and off he went. What a peculiar day. Lucas didn't mention the memory loss to him, after all, he didn't know _who_ he could trust. Still, he was grateful the bullet had gone all the way through and avoided any organs. Rest, medicine, and time. That was what he had now. 

***

A month later Lucas was in Denmark, in a home that was bought under his name, and a nice SUV to drive around. He had everything he wanted, apart from his memories, thanks to the rather large bank account as well. Nonetheless, he was bored and after much rifling through his possessions, he realized he was a teacher. Pre-K usually, but he also apparently had a masters degree, and as such, he could do any sort he desired. It was clear he was an intellectual. Just as it was apparent he was a hunter.

A few mornings later, he woke up, making a rather impressive breakfast, he had to say, and then dressed in jeans and a flannel which hung in the closet. When he'd gone to shut the door, when something had fallen from a hidden compartment on the back of it. A small box. In this box was two things: a fishing lure, as well as a picture of a man with striking sea blue eyes, curls, and a beard. Who was this man? Lucas was more than curious. His heart seemed to resonate with this strangers face, as though he'd seen it somewhere in a dream before. Had he known him or was it simply from the previous owner? 

It was clear they had a love of the outdoors, as well as a flannel in common. No, he was just lonely. Lucas was sure of that. Maybe he'd get a dog. He saw a particularly adorable springer spaniel, chocolate and white, for sale on his way home from the market yesterday. Yes, a companion, and beyond that, they made great hunting partners. Win-Win, Lucas decided. 

A quick trip to the pet store and he had his new friend. He decided to name him Achilles. It seemed to resonate though, and he could remember the greek tragedy surrounding it. A relatable sentiment. 

Once home, he got everything set up for his new canine friend: food, water, a bed, and some toys. The pup looked happy and Lucas felt less alone for it. He resigned to a glass of wine, after they played a bit, and finally went to sleep. 

***

The next day, Lucas set out to procure employment. He had to do something to occupy himself when not hunting or fishing. He craved human interaction. 

After a successful interview, he was given the position, and was taken to meet the children. One girl in particular struck a chord with him. She reminded him very much of someone he used to know. All in all the kids seemed to love him and he was told he could start Monday.

When he returned to his humble cottage on the outskirt of town, Lucas let out Achilles and fed him before getting ready for a hunt. 

***

Months of this and soon enough summer turned to fall and oh it was beautiful then. The leaves fell in bright oranges and yellows. For the first time since the strange day on the beach, he felt a sort of peace. The memories had yet to come back but after seeing several doctors, he was told that it might never return, or it could come back one day, without warning. 

Lucas was starting to be okay with not knowing. There was a darkness beneath his skin, he could sense it, and honestly, he didn't want any part of it. This was a redemption perhaps? A do over. There was even a young woman interested in him at the pre-school. Nadia. He hadn't shown much interest himself, but he was still finding his footing in this new world.

The picture of the beautiful stranger still haunted him. Often, Lucas would dream horrible things. Things he could never do, and in those dreams, he'd see the man's face. It tormented him. Google was no help, but again, he wasn't sure where to start searching. 

Usually, he just came home from work, hunted, made lures for his fishing line - often like the one he'd found in that box - and go to sleep. 

Today he decided to use one of them. After breakfast, Lucas donned his waders, covering his flannel shirt, and jeans, a beanie on his head, as well as thick boots. It was getting colder, but not overly so. 

Lucas made his way to that quiet stream and cast his line and Achilles ran along the banks barking and playing. It was nice but Lucas' heart longed for a mate. Someone to come home to, maybe, and share this new life with. 

“Hey…” a voice said from behind Lucas and Achilles barked once, bounding over to greet the stranger. “Look how cute you are.”

Turning around, Lucas raised his hand to his brow, shielding his eyes from the sun, before they widened. It was _him_. Who exactly, he had no idea, but something in his chest fluttered, and he began walking towards the riverbank. “Hej,” he greeted, smiling but there was question in his tone. “I… do I know you?” 

The other man was in floppy, brown fishing gear and a hat, bent over and petting the dog with a wide grin spread across his face. He canted his head up at Lucas, sun shining on a pink scar over his left cheek. “... Yes.”

On the bank, Lucas set down his rod, and brushed his unkempt hair from his face. His skin was a bit darker, somewhat weathered from all the time outdoors for the past few months. “You’re sure as hell familiar to me, but I must say I don’t know you. I’ll… I’ll start with my name, ja? I’m Lucas Schou,” he said, smiling and offering his hand. 

“Will.” The other man stood and took Lucas’ hand, a smile not quite reaching his eyes.

“Will. It’s nice to meet you,” Lucas grinned, familiar sharp teeth glinting in the sunlight as his lips spread. He felt… whole, somehow, just in his presence. “I see you fish. I was doing the same as you can see,” he laughed, warmly, “would you like to join me?” 

Hesitating, Will nodded slowly. “Sure.” He set his gear down and began to thread a fly onto rod and then set up his jacket, and walked out to the water.

Lucas picked his rod back up and rethreaded it, joining Will in the water, up to their knees. He cast out his line, like he had been doing it all his life, and looked over at his new friend. “Is this what brings you to Denmark? The fishing and hunting? If you do. I enjoy the sport, but none of it goes to waste. Every part of the animal is used, if I can.” He paused for a second, having been thinking on the big, obvious elephant between them, and took a breath. “I guess before you answer all of that, the first question is, how do you know me?”

“You’ve brought me here,” Will said with a sigh, casting his line once more as the wind whipped pieces of his exposed hair. “I may have mistaken you for someone else though.”

“I am not certain if you have me mistaken or not, I don’t know you,” Lucas began, recasting his line as well, licking his lips thoughtfully, “but I don’t know myself either. I have amnesia. I only know my name due to my ID. I reluctantly have to say I have seen you before though. There’s… well not to sound odd, but there is a photo of you at my home. I found it there, hidden, with a lure. So I think you likely have not confused me with someone else.” 

“Oh.” Will looked over his shoulder. “But you’re happy in this life that you have? Even if you can’t remember yourself?”

“For all I know, this is always how it’s been. I apparently vacationed in the states, though it doesn’t explain the wound. Likely an accident,” Lucas said, still so muttled about it all. “Happy? I’m content. Maybe lonely, but Achilles keeps me company. I just have to have faith that the memories will come back, or that I’ll accept my life if they don’t.”

“You lived in the United States. We both did. We were close friends,” Will said, simply, testing the waters around them, so to speak.

Lucas held his line then, and sniffed, his teeth showing a bit more as he did. Almost a snarl--not malicious. “You came here to find me? Did I leave a home, or bills? Am I married? Gods. I hope I haven’t caused you, or anyone distress in my absence.” 

“You’re safer here than back in the states,” Will replied, turning slightly to look at Lucas a little easier. “You don’t go by Lucas back home. It took me a while to track you down because of that.”

“What was my name, and why am I safer here?” Lucas asked, his tone a little emotional as stopped fishing altogether and turned to face Will. He reached out and touched his shoulder, since they were friends, and looked at him sincerely. “Please, Will. You have to tell me everything. We can go to my home, have a beer and talk it over?” 

“Are you sure? This life is so much different for you,” Will insisted. He reeled in his rod waded back. “I’ll tell you if you really want to know.”

Lucas nodded, collecting the gear before he pulled off the waders. He leashed Achilles and smiled. “I do want to know. If it’s who I am, or was, I think it’s important.”

“It’s also damaging,” Will pointed out. He slipped off the waders and put held them over one arm, his gear in the other.

“It's that bad?” Lucas asked, thinking of the sweet children he taught. He gestured toward the path and started walking.

Will followed, careful in his steps and thoughts, watching Lucas. “Depends on what you want to do with the information and what you plan to do after.”

“I'll have to think on that when I know.” Lucas lead them to a small walking bridge, once they were out of the wooded area, and crossed it, Achilles keeping up; once they did there were two small cottages that came unto view. “There it is, that stone cottage over there.”

“It’s quaint,” Will replied as they approached, waiting for Lucas to unlock the door. He’d wait until they were out of earshot of anyone that might hear them before he let everything spill.

Lucas unlocked it and opened the door, Achilles running inside. He laughed and left his gear on the porch. “After you, my friend.” 

Will set his things down first and then walked in, surprised. Hannibal had gone through a lot of trouble ot make a place here with Will in mind, and it was clear that with that, Lucas had come about with Hannibal’s confused and forgotten memories. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Lucas smiled, taking off his coat and boots to hang up. He offered to take Will’s and did the same. “Beer? Whiskey? Kaffe?”

“Coffee,” Will said, wanting to keep his wits about him. He handed over his coat.

Lucas hung it up and then went to start the coffee. He turned back to Will, scratching the stubble on his face. “It'll be about five minute. How do you take yours?” 

Will’s face fell a little. “Little bit of sugar.”

Lucas nodded and saw Will’s reaction. “I know this must not be easy for you. I… I'm sorry I can't remember. You seem very nice and I could see something in your eyes when I saw your photo. I wish I could recall our time together.”

Huffing a laugh, Will shifted his jaw and shook his head. “No. I’m used to you knowing every detail about me, little things anyway. Something to get used to.”

With a chuckle, Lucas nodded, and went to make the coffee. He came back, and handed it over to him, blowing on his own. “You have to know, I may never be what or who I was before. The doctor said it could come back suddenly or not at all, Will. So, yeah, it might be something you have to get used to,” he said, musing as he sat down on the sofa. “I’m ready to hear about me though, if you’re ready to talk?” 

Will took a seat across from Lucas in a chair, coffee between his palms. “Your real name is Hannibal. You’re Lithuanian. A doctor.”

Lucas took a sip of his coffee, and set it on the table, leaning forward with his chin on the backs of his hands, elbows on his jean covered thighs. “A doctor. Well,” he laughed, trying to make light, “that makes more money than what I’ve been earning at the pre-school.” His face went back to serious before he added. “Ok. What else?”

“You’re a Count, you have family money, so you don’t need to be a doctor, but you found it amusing,” Will explained with a sip of his coffee, eyes never leaving Lucas. 

“That explains the money. I got the job as teacher here because I was bored,” Lucas said, understanding more. He was a Count, and a doctor? Lithuanian? It was a lot to process. The way Will looked at him though, it was intense, and he felt his stomach do flips. Then it occurred to him. “I found it amusing? How is saving lives amusing?” 

“You were a shrink. So, you… liked playing games.” Will cleared his throat into his mug as he took another long sip, averting his gaze.

“It sounds like I was an asshole,” Lucas said, shaking his head as feathery strands fell into his eyes. He brushed them back and picked up his mug again, leaning back as long legs spread out. 

“No one would argue with you there.” Will shook his head. “You were locked away for three years before all this.”

“And I was released on good behavior?” Lucas asked, still so confused but he was patient, and stubborn enough to need to know all of the story. 

“No. You were in an institution for life, but circumstances presented themselves and I… helped you escape,” Will answered decidedly and carefully.

Lucas was a good man followed by dark shadows, and beasts that howled within his rib cage, haunting his dreams. He was taken aback, contemplating if he should turn himself in, but didn’t say as much. “Why would you help me that way? It seems like something a bit beyond the realm of normal friendship. Did you… owe me something?” 

“If anything you owed me a lot.” Will took another swallow and then sat back, crossing one leg over the other. “We’d had a hit or miss friendship before you were locked up. You… used me as your patsy when I was very ill. I was locked up for a while until you managed to help get me out.”

“No… no, there must be… you’re just saying all of this to mess with me,” Lucas said, standing up and pacing. “I can’t be this person. I wouldn’t do this, not to you, or anyone.” His heart pounded, was his this person? He couldn’t accept it. It was too much, and he didn’t even know all of it yet. Stopping his movements, he turned to Will and took a breath. “What was I in for, Will? I need to know, and how did I use you? I know you were my… fall person, but I just need to know what is at the heart of it.” 

“Murder. Multiple murders,” Will said, pulling out his phone to find the articles related to it with Hannibal’s face plastered all over them. He handed the phone to Lucas.

Lucas looked at the articles, and his eyes widened. It was him, clearly, but it was different. From the fine clothes to the jumpsuit, to what had been done. All of it. Swallowing thickly, Lucas handed Will the phone back, utterly stunned. He didn’t know what to say, so he sat down, and said nothing. 

“It’s a lot… I know,” Will insisted, putting his phone away. “But you don’t have to live that way now. We’re free men.”

“Free as long as I’m not in the states or no one recognizes me, isn’t that right?” Lucas finally said, looking up at Will, his eyes a bit damp. 

“Yes.” Will couldn’t lie, not if something were to happen or go wrong. “You aren’t alone, though. Not anymore.”

Lucas smiled at that, feeling the undeniable pull to Will, even if, to him, they hardly knew one another. Evidence said otherwise. “So then you’ll stay here? In Denmark with me, even though I am not the man you remember?”

“That was the plan, I believe,” Will said with a nod. “I’ve got a room at a local inn.”

“If that’s where you’re most comfortable, I understand, but you can stay here. There’s a spare room,” Lucas offered, going all in, as Achilles went to Will and nosed against his hand to give approval of his own.

Will knelt and pet the dog again. “I didn’t want to assume or impose.”

“It’s not an imposition. I wouldn’t have offered, ja?” Lucas chuckled, letting go of his worries for the moment. What could he do anyway? Again, it would take time, and there were plenty of questions he needed answered still. “So is that a yes?”

“Sure. Yeah. I’ll go get my stuff here later.” Will sipped his cooled coffee in a gulp. It wasn’t Hannibal’s coffee, but it was homely.

Lucas finished his and nodded, stretching. “Okay, then it’s all settled. Are you hungry? I have some pizza, and stuff for sandwiches.” 

Will laughed, he couldn’t help it. He covered his mouth with one hand, watching Lucas. “No. I’m okay. Thank you.” _Pizza._

With a laugh of his own, just because Will was, Lucas arched a barely there brow at Will. “Okay. Is that not my usual?”

“No. Hannibal is a chef.” Will smiled, shrugging. “That’s okay, I’m fine with pizza and whatever.”

“Oh. Well, maybe that part will come back at some point?” Lucas said with a shake of his head. “So when you’re hungry, it’s in the fridge. Along with beer.” 

“It’s fine if it doesn’t.” Will finished his coffee and stood. “Beer? Do you have whiskey?”

“Yeah, it’s on the bar,” Lucas answered with a smile, gesturing to it. He didn’t know what the future held, nor the past, but for now, he’d just focus on the present. 

“Okay. I’m going to go get my stuff then,” Will said, setting the mug in the sink. “I can answer any other questions when I get back.”

“Do you need some help? I’ve been here for a few months, so I can show you around,” Lucas offered, not wanting to be alone with his thoughts at the moment, but he wouldn’t push. He put his mug in the sink as well. 

“Sure,” Will said with a nod, and smiled at Lucas. “I have a rental car, but I won’t tell if you drive it.”

Lucas laughed heartily at that, and clapped a hand on Will’s shoulder, a bit firmer than Hannibal usually had done, grinning. “So we’re going to be breaking the law again? I’m alright with that, and will keep your secret.” 

Will grinned back, unable to stop himself from liking this new piece of Hannibal. Distancing himself would be difficult now should Hannibal surface. He handed the keys to Lucas. “Just this once.”

“It's a deal,” Lucas winked and took the keys, petting Achilles goodbye before opening the door for Will. After locking the cottage, they got into the rental. “What hotel was it?”

“I can’t pronounce it,” Will laughed. “It’s just down the road a bit. Blue and white.”

Lucas laughed at that and nodded, backing out and heading towards town. He knew the place. After a pleasant drive, he parked at the hotel and killed the engine, getting out to walk with Will to whichever room it was. “Not too far.”

“I wanted something close to the river,” Will explained as he lead them to his room. He unlocked it and left the door open for Lucas. He didn’t have much, but he packed up his things from a drawer and back into a suitcase.

“And to me?” Lucas asked, walking inside the room. He looked around, and the smell was all Will, and it triggered a memory, just one. “Wade into the quiet of the stream....” A beat and then, “Have I said that before?” 

Will stilled his ministrations and looked at Lucas, paling. “Yes. I’d said it to you once, and then you said it to me.”

It seemed like a harmless enough phrase but the way Will looked then, had Lucas coming closer. “I’m sorry… is it not a good memory?”

“You said just after giving me this,” Will said, untucking and lifting his flannel shirt a little bit to show off the scar that ran over his belly, pink and less intensely angry looking than it had been years ago.

Instinctively, Lucas reached out and skimmed his fingertips over it, with a hint of reverence he didn’t understand, that quickly passed. With a hard swallow, he removed his hand and looked into Will’s eyes. “I did this to you? I cut you?” he asked, though he knew the answer already. “I’m sorry.”

“We had a dysfunctional relationship,” Will explained and tucked his shirt back in. He finished putting his clothes away and zipped up the suitcase. “You hurt me, I hurt you. I betrayed you and you gutted me literally as I gutted you figuratively.”

Lucas frowned a little at that, and stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets. “So what is it about me that made you come all the way to Denmark? Wouldn’t you be happy to be free of me?”

“I was free of you for three years,” Will shrugged, leading them out once he’d gotten his spare jacket and shut the door. “I had a wife, a child. It was… perfect. And boring.” Will sighed. “And not you.” They walked to the office and Will handed the key over and signed himself out. Once back at the car he swallowed and looked at Lucas once he got the suitcase in the trunk. “We ignored the worst of ourselves and each other to enjoy the good times. I got tired of doing that, but realized when I saw you again that I’d rather it than not be with you. I should have always been with you.”

Lucas closed the trunk for Will and licked his lips when he looked at him again. “When you say “with”, you mean on a platonic level? Or….” he asked, and then shook his head. “I’m sorry, that was likely inappropriate. I just want to understand, but I wouldn’t hurt you like that again, Will.” 

“We were never actually together.” Will sighed, hands in his pockets. “We never explored that, never got to.”

“Oh,” Lucas said, and then opened Will’s door for him, closing it once he was in. He went around and got in as well, cranking up the engine once more. “And now I’m someone different. Maybe we should go grab a burger some place? I think we both need food,” he chuckled. 

“Sure,” Will said, trying not to let the thought of getting to know Hannibal all over again bother him. What was bothersome was that he might like Lucas more.

Lucas nodded with a big grin and backed out, hair loosely blowing in his eyes as leaves scattered across the road when the rental stirred them up. It was a crisp autumn day, and it was beautiful. After a bit of driving, Lucas pulled into a small diner, more American themed than Danish, to cater to the visitors or offer a bit of a change to the locals. He liked it anyway. “Okay, here we are,” he said, removing his seatbelt as he looked at the aluminum styled building. It was meant to look like one from the fifties, undoubtedly. “I think a milkshake as well, with fries.” 

“Indulgent,” Will chuckled, letting it all go for now. There were things to worry about, and most of them were in America, not here.

“I try not to feel bad about it when I eat something. I just work it off,” Lucas laughed, and got out, waiting for Will. 

It was quite a change to hear Hannibal talk about burgers and milkshakes. Will was humbled by it. He got out and shut the door, making sure it locked, and then walked into the diner with Lucas. They were seated and Will sat across from the other man.

“It’s nice here, I think. Cozy,” Lucas said as he looked at the menu and then over it, at Will. “What are you having? Get anything you want, okay?” 

“I’ll probably have the vegetarian burger,” Will said, with a small smile. “I have to watch the amount of proteins I eat.”

“Because of what you showed me before, I guess?” Lucas asked, and set his menu down, having decided what he’d have. He wished he could back, reverse time and stop himself from doing that to Will. 

“Yeah,” Will said, shrugging it off. The waitress came by and Will told her he’d have the veggie burger and a coke.

Lucas ordered a cheeseburger, with fries and a coke for now, he might get the milkshake after. When the waitress left, he leaned on the table, elbows and all. “So I thought I’d ask. I have a brand on my back, Verger. What is that from?”

“Mason Verger,” Will said, having not seen the brand, but he knew about it. “You gave him some drugs once and convinced him to eat his own face. It was part of his payback to you. You were one of his pigs, and he intended to eat you.”

Coughing at that, Lucas raised both brows at Will. He never expected someone would tell him that. At least not who he had been for the past few months. “Oh, is that all?” he joked, deciding to laugh it off. The Danes had dark humor, even if he apparently wasn’t Danish. “I had a way more active life before, it sounds like.”

“You enjoyed dinner parties and eating the rude,” Will murmured.

“So you were serious about the eating comment. I… I ate people? Like cannibalism? That’s disgusting…” 

“Only those you considered less than yourself, and rude,” Will explained. The waitress dropped off their drinks and Will stuffed the straw into it. “You would kill them, take what you wanted, and then display the bodies as art.”

“I need to read more of those articles it sounds like,” Lucas murmured, appalled at himself. No, it wasn’t him. It was the monster he had been. This was a new chance, wasn’t it? What if the memories came back? Would who he was now, disappear? Taking a drink of his soda, he wiped his mouth on his sleeve and sighed. “You are my friend...so does that mean you like all this stuff too?”

“I have partaken a few times with my knowledge of what it was. Though, to be fair I was trying to seduce you and take you down at the same time. Not that it makes it any better.”

“Well if you try to seduce me later, we can do it without all the people eating,” Lucas laughed, speaking those words quietly though, with a hand beside his mouth. He took another sip of his soda, and sniffed. “I bet this is weird for you, right? I think it's fine to be weird though.” 

“It is. It explains why you never called or tracked me down.” Will moved his drink as their food was set in front of them. “I thought you ditched me.”

“I don’t know my past self, but I don’t think I would ever do that to you,” Lucas said, looking at Will, before he poured ketchup on his burger, and over the fries, all but salivating. 

“I didn’t think so. I told everyone you were dead, that you didn’t make it from the fall.” Will put mustard on his burger and then took a bite. “Jack doesn’t believe it. No body.”

“Jack… that’s the Agent I saw in the article when I skimmed right? Jack...Crawford?” Lucas asked, and then took a hearty bite, groaning. A far cry from how Hannibal would eat, that was for certain.

“Yeah. We’ve both worked with him in the past. I was held for the murder of Dolarhyde, but let go once they recovered the footage he took, and how I was attacked first.” Will took another bite, growing more comfortable with Lucas.

“So you don’t need to be on the run, you can be anywhere,” Lucas surmised, popping a fry in his mouth. It meant that Will was uprooting his life, just to be with him, or at least with who he thought he would encounter in Denmark. “Is that how I ended up in the water? I fell from that cliff, after you and I fought this Dolarhyde person? You were in there too?”

“Yes. We killed him, we were both injured, and I took us over the edge. I knew that was how it had to happen. I woke on the shore alone.”

“When I woke, I had no idea you were still in the water. I’m sorry I didn’t save you,” Lucas said, remorsefully, not wanting to think of what Will had to go through alone. “Why did you pull us over though? If we were already injured. Was someone chasing us?”

“The FBI. I didn’t know if we’d live or die, but we’d do it together,” Will explained and took a few more bites before setting the sandwich down.

“That seems almost poetic,” Lucas said, feeling a flutter in his chest, which was confusing, but since he knew what he did, it also made sense. He took another big bite of his burger, ketchup dropping on his flannel. With a shrug he wiped it off, unaffected really. “How’s the burger?”

“It’s good.” Will watched Lucas not fuss at all, and it was so strange to see.

“Good, good,” Lucas nodded, and used a napkin to wipe his mouth this time, instead of his shirt. He noticed Will watching him, and he grinned. “What?”

“You’re everything he isn’t. It’s not a bad thing. It’s just strange to see.” Will stole one of Lucas’ fries and stuffed it into his mouth.

“Hej! That was my fry,” Lucas teased, and playfully nudged Will’s foot with his own. He didn’t mind. “I bet it is strange. I have occasional weird impulses for caviar sometimes. At least now I know where it comes from.” 

“Not surprising,” Will said and offered Lucas an onion ring as compensation.

Lucas took the onion ring and tore into it with sharp teeth, teeth that could do much more damage than even he knew, but he was starting to. “Do you hunt, Will?” he asked, after eating the offered compensation.

“Yes. Hunt, fish… I fix boat motors. I’m very hands on,” Will explained with a little smile.

“So am I,” Lucas said, a hint of flirtation in his tone for the first time, but he enjoyed outdoorsy things, which he assumed wasn’t like Hannibal. “I don’t fix boat motors though.” 

Will laughed. “That I would have to see if you did.”

Lucas laughed then too, and shook his head. “Well you saw me fishing. Does Hannibal, or I mean, do I,” he said quietly, “did I fish and hunt before?”

“No,” Will said with a shake of his head and finished his coke. “Hunt in your own way maybe, but not… real hunting.”

“I guess that explains how I am good at the hunting I do now,” Lucas said, and finished his fries, and his coke, leaning back to take a breather. “Maybe we can hunt deer tomorrow? Have it for dinner.”

“That could be nice,” Will agreed, nodding. He pushed the plate toward the middle, only half finished but he couldn’t fit in much more.

“Then we will do it,” Lucas hummed, as he watched Will. “I don’t go back to work for two more days, at the preschool. Now I’m thinking maybe I shouldn’t at all. It doesn’t seem right being around the children.” 

“Up to you,” Will shrugged. The check was left at the table.

Lucas got the check, before Will could, since he was apparently a wealthy Count, and left the money plus a generous tip. “I’ll think on it. Did you want to go?” 

“Unless you wanted that milkshake.”

“I’m too full now,” Lucas decided, and smiled at Will. “Do you want one?”

“Nope.” Will smiled and slid out of the seat, waiting for Lucas.

Lucas got out, and pulled out the keys, looking at Will, stepping close. He leaned forward, touching his shoulder, to almost whisper in his ear. “Do I dare drive the secret vehicle again?”

“I don’t want to get us lost,” Will whispered back, a shiver shooting down his spine.

“Then I should definitely see us home,” Lucas murmured, feeling a swirl in his core as his body responded to Will’s with barely any contact. As though they were conjoined, somehow. He moved back, and swallowed, motioning for Will to join him before he opened the door for him.

Will walked out and to the car. Once in he buckled up. He’d had this feeling with Hannibal near the end, but with no danger surrounding them now, and with Hannibal not being himself, everything seemed… strange.

Lucas did the same, and started the engine, looking over at Will for a second, as though he were considering saying something. He decided against it, since they’d just met, in his mind, and backed out. “Dinner was nice, right?”

“It was.” And now the awkward silence would hang between them all the way home.

And so it did, as Lucas drove. He finally clicked on the radio, putting on jazz, tapping his fingers in perfect rhythm to it. Apparently his musical abilities weren’t forgotten even if he didn’t realize it. “What music do you like?” he asked finally. 

“Blues, jazz, old country, like Cash,” Will answered as he watched the road toward Lucas house come into view.

“I do not know Cash, but the other sounds good,” Lucas said, musing, as he pulled into the driveway, the sun setting. He got out, and locked up, walking up to unlock the front door. Achilles barked and wagged his tail as they walked in and Lucas -- very unlike how Hannibal would’ve been -- stooped down to pet and let his dog lick on him. He laughed, and rolled around a bit on the floor with the spring spaniel. 

Will shut the door and watched, smiling from ear to ear, genuinely happy to see such a sight. “He loves you. I had dogs back home.”

“I almost named him Winston,” Lucas smiled, not knowing that it was due to Will that the name had came to mind. “Achilles seemed more fitting I guess, but I love him too. How many dogs did you have?” 

“Nine,” Will answered, swallowing. “Winston was the name of one of them.”

“I wouldn't mind more dogs. They are great company,” Lucas said and then nodded slowly with understanding. “Now I know why I thought of the name. Where are they now?” 

“With my ex-wife and her son.” Will let out a big sigh, shoulders slumping. He’d given up a lot to be here.

“I’m sorry you had to leave them,” Lucas said, but there was a pang of jealousy inside his chest at the mention of the ready made family Will had left behind. 

“She’ll take care of them,” Will shrugged, not worried about it, as he got to his knees to pet the dog.

“Good,” Lucas said, and stayed down with Will, petting Achilles. His hand brushed over Will’s, and he felt a spark, a charge between them. 

Will smiled at Lucas, feeling the charge there renewed. Where Hannibal was sharp edges, Lucas was soft. He loved both, he knew he did. “We can get another dog though here.”

“Yes! We can go tomorrow, after we hunt. One for you and a companion for Achilles,” Lucas smiled back, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he nudged Will playfully. “Any type you want, or more than one more.” 

“I like strays.” Will fell back and let the dog jump on him and lick his face. “But any dog will do.”

Lucas laughed, and laid on his side, hair in his eyes as he watched. “Then we’ll find a stray for you -- for both of us.” 

“Yes.” Will pet the dog, holding him to his chest, and then sighed, content.

“He likes you alot, just like I do,” Lucas confessed, going back to the moment at the diner, and the spark he’d felt touching Will’s hand a moment ago. He wasn’t in a hurry, and everything was still so foggy, but that much he knew to be true. The Lithuanian was drawn to Will in any version of himself.

“I’m glad,” Will said, decidedly. “Because you’re both stuck with me now.”

“That’s not a terrible fate at all,” Lucas smiled again, finding he did more of that around Will. 


	2. Chapter 2

Will was given his own room, luckily. He woke the next morning and shuffled out for coffee with the dog at his feet instantly. He scratched his beard, in just a t-shirt and his boxers. He stooped to pet Achilles and then rubbed his eyes. Mugs, where were the mugs…

Lucas walked out of the bedroom, around the same time, and smiled at Will, petting Achilles. “Good morning, Will,” he said, in a pair of silk maroon pajamas that had been there when he arrived. Hannibal’s he knew now. “Looking for the coffee? I’ll start it for us.” 

“Perfect. I was going to try to figure things out in here, but I think I’d make a mess.” Rubbing a hand over his eyes, Will sighed, finally finding mugs. He set two on the counter. He looked at Lucas with a smile. “Fancy.”

“I’m not worried about a mess,” Lucas chuckled, and then smoothed down his pajamas as he started the coffee, then fed Achilles, opening the door so he could go out. “Thanks. I think this is something he--I--probably would have worn, but they are comfortable.” 

“I think he did,” Will said, leaning against the counter. “I think I saw him once in pajamas, but Hannibal was wearing a robe with it.”

“A robe seems unneeded with this pajamas,” Lucas grinned, and then made them each a cup of coffee, add just a little sugar to Will’s. He stirred it, and handed it over, holding his own. “How was your first night here? Sleep okay?”

“I slept much better than I did in the hotel,” Will answered and sipped the steaming cup of joe, humming. “Coffee is better too.”

Lucas blew on his, then took a sip with a deep groan; he set it down and stretched, bear like, looking at Will. “Good. I know I did too. It was also nice waking up and running into you.”

Will only then realized his state of undress, but did nothing to hide it. Hannibal had seen him a far less put together state many times before. “Not a big house, bound to happen,” he teased.

Lucas most certainly noticed, but he was a gentleman, and didn’t make it obvious he had noticed. With a rough laugh, he nodded, and picked up his coffee mug again, sipping it. “I’ll be anticipating the next time,” he winked.

Heart fluttering at that, Will could feel himself falling harder for the man he’d been in love with for years. This part was just extra, something special, even if it wasn’t Hannibal. Would he miss the deeper conversations? The hours of toiling around metaphors together? Time would tell. “Maybe next time I’ll make the coffee.”

The intellect was still beneath the surface, but the lack of vanity in Lucas made him not need metaphors, like Hannibal did. That and the lack of a probing curiosity. He realized though that he was very drawn to Will, physically but also in heart and mind. “You can make it, sure,” he hummed, speaking into his mug as keen amber eyes watched every move Will made. 

“You’ll have to show me around your kitchen a little better,” Will insisted with a smile behind the mug as he took another sip. “I could teach you make Achilles’ food too, if you wanted.”

“Ja, that would be good,” Lucas smiled, still slipping into Danish occasionally, though he was aware he knew several languages. The doctor had mentioned that was in a different area of the brain. “Well, when we get back from hunting, and find a dog, we can do that, if you want?”

“Okay. We’ll need a grocery run.” Will sighed happily. He’d never felt more in his own skin than he did in the moment. Being with Hannibal and being himself without having to peer into the darkness to relate. Or… was that not being himself? Something to consider for later.

“Sure, we can do that,” Lucas nodded, licking a stray drop of coffee from his shapely, perfect lips. He, himself, wasn’t concerned with his appearance, not in the same way Hannibal usually was. “There is a lack of food here. I usually pick something up. Fast food, or something like that.” 

“We can make simple meals,” Will insisted, willing to help out. “The dogs shouldn’t eat much better than us.” He laughed, god, when did he start to sound like Hannibal.

Lucas laughed heartily at that. “No, they shouldn’t. I have knowledge of some meals I wouldn’t personally eat. Like sanguinaccio dolce, duck confit, beef wellington,” he said, having looked it up before, just to see what in the hell he was remembering. “I am simple though.” 

“I’m talking veggies and a meat,” Will laughed. “Nothing fancy.”

“Okay, good,” Lucas grinned, and got up to pull a box of cheese Danishes from the pantry. “Hungry?” 

“Yes,” Will said, raising his brows at the food. He was going to have to use what little skills he had to be sure they both ate much better.

Lucas worked off the bad he ate, and had an amazing physique despite the last few months, but at seeing Will’s expression, he rubbed his jaw. “I do have eggs, if that's more to your liking? I just don’t have much food here, but Nadia dropped off eggs from her chicken before you got here.” 

“It’s fine. Adjustments,” Will said with a smile. “Who is Nadia?”

“She works with me at the pre-school. She likes me, I’ve been told, but I’m not interested. I wasn’t before, and I’m definitely not now,” Lucas said, feeling the overwhelming need to reassure Will on that account. Since Will didn’t want eggs, he pulled a cheese Danish from the box, and opened it, taking a bite, and offering one over. 

Will took one, hungry, and knew he would need the energy to keep going for their hunt today. “Oh. Okay.” Relieved he hadn’t come here for nothing, Will opened the package and took a bite.

Lucas took another bite, and sipped more coffee, wiping his mouth. “I haven’t dated anyone since I’ve been here, actually,” he said, just letting that be out in the open. 

“That’s… good to know.” Will licked his lips, a little more at ease.

“Is it?” Lucas asked, grinning warmly at Will, before taking another bite. “Have you?” 

“I just got divorced, so no,” Will chuckled, shaking his head, and then took another bite.

Some people moved fast but he was glad Will hadn’t. “Well good,” he smiled, finishing his Danish. 

Will hardly moved at all with relationships, when it mattered. Will finished up and then his coffee, and set it in the sink. “I should go get dressed.”

“I should too. I would scare all the deer away in this get up,” Lucas grinned, and then got up, taking their mugs to set in the sink. 

Will laughed and nodded. He walked back down the hall, reemerging a bit later in jeans and flannel shirt, having not brought much for real hunting, not expecting to need to.

Lucas came out in brown cargo pants, yet another flannel, and a hunter’s vest over that. He had two rifles in hand, and a tote carrying items to attract the deer. Setting that down, he opened the door, and let Achilles in, leashing him. “He makes a good hunting partner.” 

“Train him now,” Will agreed, offering to help Lucas carry some of the things to his truck.

“Exactly, yeah,” Lucas hummed, and nodded his head in thanks as they walked out. He put the gear into the back of the SUV, and then got Achilles into the back, opening the door for Will next, and then got inside. Cranking the engine up, he put on his seatbelt. “What’s your favorite thing to hunt?”

“Mostly deer. They were around my property a lot back home.” Will settled in and ran a hand through his hair, trying to straighten it even if Lucas wouldn’t care.

Lucas looked over at Will, watching the way those curls fell and moved; it was beautiful, and he licked his lips. Refocusing, he put the SUV in reverse, and backed out. “Same. Deer, and rabbit, mostly.”

“Is that what’s out here mostly? What’s in season right now?”

“Deer.” Lucas made a right onto the old, worn road, heading towards a spot he always found to be plentiful with good game. “That’s most of what I’ve seen, aside from ducks, and geese.” 

“You don’t even know?” Will asked, laughing. He leaned one arm on the door, resting his chin in his palm.

“No I know. It’s deer season, but I’ve only been hunting out here for three months, roughly, and that’s all I’ve seen so far.” Lucas laughed, shaking his head. Maybe he was trying to show off a bit for Will, but he was a good hunter. 

“Deer sounds fantastic.” Will reached his free hand to touch Lucas’ arm, squeezing.

Lucas instinctively placed his other hand over Will’s, and he steered with the other. “Nothing beats a nice venison steak, right?” He laughed. Was he rambling? It was as though he was a teenager again. 

“It’s been a while. I ate a lot of fish when I was married. It’s Molly’s favorite thing to make,” Will explained, shaking his head. He left his hand there, comfortable with the closeness.

Molly. Lucas felt himself cringing inwardly at the thought that she’d gotten a part of him, that he could never have. He shook it off and smiled, comforted by Will’s hand. “She never cooked for you?”

“Fish,” Will reiterated. “She could make other things, but fish was a go to because we had so much of it.”

“I meant never cooked anything else beyond fish, but you’ve answered that now.” Lucas was a bit distracted, with all the new to him feelings, and how to process them. 

“Sorry.” Will took a deep breath and the SUV rolled into the parking space near the edge of the hunting forest. Will pushed the door open and let the dog out, grabbing the leash.

Lucas slid out and got their gear, hitching it over his shoulder; he walked over to Will and searched his eyes with his own. “There is nothing for you to be sorry for.” 

“Okay.” Will nodded, touching Lucas’ arm once more, and then followed Lucas toward the opening. 

Lucas smiled, and once they arrived at the spot he had planned out to wait, he let Achilles off the leash. He handed Will a rifle, one that had a nice scope on it. “Now we hope for the best.” 

“Are we setting up any of these?” Will asked, nodding to the other stuff Lucas brought. He loaded his gun, making quick work of it.

“Yes, I usually just scout the area first, to make sure it’s a good location before setting them up,” Lucas answered. He loaded his gun also, and cut his eyes to Will, signalling he was ready.

This sort of hunting wasn’t what he ever thought he’d be doing with Hannibal. Will was smiling, brighter than he meant to, as they moved in further, Achilles close behind them. “Sounds good.”

Lucas decided on a location, and then set up, making sure everything they brought had been used to assist them. Once again, they had to wait, quietly. Smiling over at Will, he leaned close, and Achilles sniffed the air, while sitting still. “This is nice,” he whispered. 

“It is.” Will smiled up close at Lucas, his normally broody sea blue eyes were light and tinged green.

They were beautiful to Lucas, any variation, but especially so like that. He nodded, and licked his lips, moving closer, thinking of doing something brave, but when he was getting dangerously near, there was a rustling in the brush a few yards away. “Hej, I think our supper is over there.”

Will tore his eyes from Lucas and headed a step toward the brush, quiet and precise in his movements. He got his gun up, looking through the scope. He was a much better fisherman than he was a hunter, but he wasn't terrible. In his scope was a beautiful deer. “I see it.”

Lucas readied his weapon, and stayed close to Will, looking through the lens of his scope. It was perfect, and a part of him almost hated to kill such a beautiful creature, but they would honor every part of it. Looking at Will to signal the fire, Lucas cocked the rifle, quietly, and they both fired at once, the deer falling over without pain. A quick death. “We got him!”

The dog ran ahead to go see and Will lowered his gun, following, making sure Lucas was behind him. “We sure did. Lucky.”

Lowering his gun in turn, Lucas followed Will, and when they got to the kill, he made sure the deer was dead. He was, and it was a clean kill. “Luck?” he grinned, and touched Will’s arm, “no, we’re just good hunters.” 

Hannibal never had liked guns, but he never hunted like this either. Everything in that cabin had Lucas loved and thought had been for himself had really been for Will, but Will made no notion of it. He didn’t want to break the moment they had. “We are.”

Lucas grinned, and found himself cupping Will’s jaw, be it on instinct or need, it was the same. He felt alive, even more than before, hunting with him; it struck a chord in the swell of his breast. “It’s beautiful, and so are you.” 

Swallowing hard, Will’s smile wavered into a slight tremble. He’d kept so many emotions in since he was found on the shore, unsure of everything, and now all of this. He wanted to be held again, like he had been on the cliff, when he finally told Hannibal it was okay, in not so many words. “Thank… you.”

A rush of heat washed over Lucas, his heart picking up, and, as if reading Will’s mind, he pulled him gently against his body. He needed that embrace also, wanted to feel their bodies meld, and conjoin. “If you want need me to stop…” he trailed off, nuzzling Will’s jaw, and his shoulder, taking in his scent. 

“No.” Will held fast to Lucas, arms around his shoulders, chest to chest, hip to hip. Will had wanted to do it the second he saw him. “I need this.”

“So do I.” Lucas spoke the words gently, warmly, with awe in his tone. He dared to place a kiss on Will’s jaw, brushing his lips over his skin, and into his beard. 

“Ha--Lucas…” Will whispered, the words leaving his mouth with a hitched breath, his fingers scrunching deep into Lucas’ jacket.

“Will…” Lucas kissed over the scar on Will’s cheek, and to the corner of his mouth, his lips ghosting there. Every part of his body was singing, like a beautiful piece of music he just knew he’d heard before. He closed the gap, and pressed his lips to Will’s, not one to play games, but to go after what he really wanted, which was Will. 

Lids hooded, Will gripped Lucas’ jacket harder, kissing him back, noses brushing, and lips parting to create the perfect seal, to bind them together in ways they never had been before. The air around them grew thick with musk, heat radiating off their bodies. Lucas backed Will against the tree nearby, and sucked his tongue, his hips rolling into the other; he clutched to him, not wanting to ever let go for fear they might somehow be separated, or he’d wake up alone again. 

A low groan resonated through Will, hands on Lucas’ face as they kissed, keeping him there, not wanting to be parted from him for a second longer. Being so close and yet so far away felt like it was going to tear him in half. “Let’s--let’s go back home.”

“Yeah, I think we should.” Lucas murmured, and kissed Will once more before finally letting go. They still had to collect their gear, the deer, and Achilles. All he wanted was to be back at their cottage now. 

“More of that back there,” Will promised. He helped to get the deer into the tarp and then managed it to the SUV, tossing it into the back.

Lucas got Achilles and the gear inside, hopping in the driver’s seat. He put on the seatbelt and started the engine, backing out, then onto the road. “You taste so good,” he whispered, taking Will’s hand. 

Will writhed once in his seat, squeezing Lucas’ hand. “So do you.”

Gods, even the way Will moved all on his own, was nearly enough to undo Lucas completely. He licked his lips, and smiled in thanks, turning left on the road to their home. After what seemed like an eternity, he parked, and killed the engine, taking Achilles and the gear inside. He returned to help Will with the deer. 

They got the deer to the shed, where Will got to work to clean and gut, dismantle. Once he was done, he gave Lucas the steaks for dinner and froze the rest. “We’ll eat well for a while.”

“We will.” Lucas washed his hands, and dried them on his shirt, walking half way over to Will, with hungry eyes. It didn’t matter how far they went, he just wanted to touch him, feel their souls, and hearts connect, as well as their lips. “Come here, Will. Please.” 

“How could I refuse?” Will smiled and shed his boots at the door, making up the space between them. Chores out of the way, they had nothing but time together.

Lucas left his where he stood, and smiled back at Will, palming up his chest, to hold his face. He took him in, wishing desperately he could recall everything they’d gone through, but maybe it was for the best this way. “I hope you never would.” That was his response, and then he leaned in kissing him softly, with a sharp inhalation of breath. 

Their connection was astounding, despite the gape and the months apart, despite the memories lost, they fit together perfectly, like two halves of a heart. Will wrapped one arm around Lucas’ shoulders, canting his head to slot their mouths together once more. Lucas groaned, his pulse quickening, and arms hooking around Will’s waist. He slipped his tongue inside the hot cavern of his mouth, each pass of slick muscle sending jolts to his heart, and his groin. He’d never felt anything like this before. 

“Lucas-” Will groaned between their lips, grasping the front of his shirt with one hand while the other grounded down into his shoulder, trying to keep himself solid, from moving too fast.

“Will-” Lucas groaned in return, not in any hurry, but he wanted to feel him, be close. He slowed the kissing, and ran his hand down Will’s back, to the front of his torso, to let it rest over his heart. 

Will shed his over flannel, leaving him in a tight undershirt, and then worked Lucas’ undone as well, pushing it from his shoulders. “Better.”

“Much, yeah,” Lucas whispered, bare chested. He had the fur to keep him warm, so an undershirt wasn’t as needed. He slid his hands down Will’s torso, and let his fingers skate under the hem of his undershirt, feeling his skin. “You’re a work of art.” 

Lifting his arms, Will allowed Lucas to remove his shirt, showing off his toned physique, much more than it had been the last time Hannibal would have seen Will in undress. “Maybe…”

Lucas trailed his hand over the muscles, biting his lower lip, and then locked eyes with Will, smiling seductively. “There is no maybe, kaereste. You are.” 

Will pressed their lips together once more, knocking them off their footing a little that he had to hold himself up against the wall. He chuckled, holding Lucas’ gaze. “Taking your word for it.”

Shifting the position, Lucas bracketed Will’s head with one veiny hand, and grinned, pressing his nose to his neck to inhale his poignant scent. “You smell good too. Good enough to eat.” He laughed then, and winked. “Not literally though.”

“You tried once,” Will laughed, holding on hand at Lucas’ waist, the other moved some curls back from his head, showing off a white, healed over scar across his skull.

Lucas leaned in, looking at it, and shook his head, then kissed the scar. “Look at that. I... tried to eat your brains or something? Gods. I don’t think I could apologize enough in this lifetime, honestly.” 

“You never did.” Will smiled though, he’d long since gotten over it. “But you did take me home and dress me and take care of me sometime after it. So I guess that was your way of apologizing.”

Lucas arched a barely there brow at Will then. “So I’ve seen you naked, and taken care of you.” A thought, a moment of speaking out loud and then he kissed him twice. “I can think of better ways to apologize than that.” 

“Please do.” Will leaned into each kiss, raking his hands down Lucas’ chest, feeling out every inch he’d never seen before.

Lucas grunted, sniffing an aroused snarl, and then gently tugged Will’s hair, exposing his neck. He ran his hot tongue up it, to his chin, biting there. Will held Lucas close with one hand on his hips, gooseflesh spreading across his skin. “Good-”

“Yes, min skat,” Lucas whispered, scraping his teeth over the soft velvety lobe of Will’s ear, his hips rolling rhythmically. He could do just this all day and night, and he’d be utterly content. 

That was just fine with Will, he enjoyed their explorations, getting to know each other inside and out. He’d never been with a man; slow and steady was the pace. “Let’s… sit down or lie down.”

It was new to Lucas at least, also, so he nodded, and took his hand, leading him to the couch for now. Slow. The bed would not lead to anything slow, he decided. He brushed a curl from Will’s brow, gazing. “I do not wish to rush you.” 

“I don’t know that I could be,” Will insisted, but straddled Lucas’ thighs anyway, leaning over him. “I’ve never… done this. With a man.”

Lucas slid his hands over Will’s legs, pressing into the jean clad muscle of his thigh, kneading. “I haven’t either. I don’t know about… before, but _I_ haven’t.” 

“I have no idea,” Will admitted. He knew of Hannibal’s sex life apart from Alana. “But we can figure it all out together.”

“I like that.” Lucas pulled Will back to his mouth, and kissed him again, unable to get enough. “We have all the time in the world now.” 

“We do.” A lifetime even, should they never be caught. Will kissed down into Lucas’ mouth, massaging his fingers into his pecs.

“How you touch me… I like it, and very much,” Lucas murmured, and then licked back into Will’s mouth, pressing his groin up into the soft, yet muscular swell of his ass. 

“I’ve enjoyed everything you’ve done so far.” Grinding down on Lucas’ bulge, Will bit his lip, sucking on the delicate flesh. 

Lucas drug his blunt nails down Will’s back, and pulled him closer, groaning and biting at Will’s upper lip, to slow them together. “Gods, Will. You make me feel so much.” 

At this rate, they’d make out all afternoon and be fucking by dinner. Will knew they would eventually, and it wasn’t the first time he’d hopped into bed with a virtual stranger. Only, Lucas wasn’t, really. “Good. Me too.”

“Yeah?” Lucas rumbled, and took one of Will’s nipples into his mouth, grinding his groin upwards. It was hard to go slow with someone as beautiful as him on his lap. He was fully prepared to stop though, and he wouldn’t be upset at all. Pulling off, he captured his mouth again, and stroked his cheek, giving him an opportunity, should he need it. Lucas was a caring, gentleman with a beast inside. 

Fact of the matter was that Will didn’t want to go slow, he didn’t want to wait. They’d consummate their union a long time ago, with blood and breath; with death and carnage. A physical consummating, a connection like this, was just what they they needed, of sound mind or not. Their tongues slid together and Will reached between them to palm down Lucas’ bulge, grinding the heel of his palm. “Yeah.”

Lucas gripped Will’s hips then and stood, walking him back to the bedroom. He understood, and he needed the same thing. After kissing him the whole way there, he laid him on the bed, and removed his pants, just in boxers when he laid back over Will. Removing the others jeans, he pulled them off, and crashed their mouths back together, kissing down to his neck. “Just look at you…”

Hand in Lucas’ hair, Will tugged hard, gasping breathlessly into the air as their bodies heated perfectly in unison. A conjoining of bodies where their souls were once already, and mending slowly. “Lucas-”

Lucas slipped down Will’s body, his hand roving experimentally over dips and firm muscles. He hooked his fingers under the waistband of his boxers and tugged. When he saw his perfect cock laying against his stomach, his salivated, feelings he didn't know he'd have. It was with reverence that he licked from balls to tip, amber eyes not leaving cerulean ones. 

“Oh…” Will tightened his grip, fingers wrenched in deep as his hips pushed up, wantonly, needing every ounce of Lucas’ touch that there was to be offered.

A deep rumbled resounded from Lucas’ chest at that sound from Will. He wanted more of it. So he wrapped his deft hand around the base and angled it to meet his lips. Slowly, he took him in, his tongue swirling around the girth. Will’s legs went slack, dropping to the side, giving Lucas space and room to hoard himself between this thighs.

“Yes-”

Lucas did exactly that, and licked down to Will’s balls, his tongue pressing, and sliding between them. He didn’t leave his cock neglected, however, still stroking, and thumbing over the tip while his mouth travelled further south. He needed to taste all of him, even if it was new to him, but he was on fire for the younger man. “Gods, your flavor is wonderful. Enchanting.” 

Having never been touched like that, Will writhed at the newfound pleasure, toes spread into the bedcovers while his hand wrenched soft strands. He was melting, he was sure of it, right into a big pile in the sheets. Pressing Will’s legs back towards his chest, Lucas circled the rim with his tongue, and inserted it slowly, commencing to devour him. His own cock leaked from the unsheathed tip, dripping onto the covers; he humped languidly, seeking out that perfect friction. 

“Lucas, Lucas…” Will began to chant, heat building behind his eyes and in his core, like something wanting to explode.

A beautiful song and Lucas wanted to hear more of it. He speared him out, fucking him with his tongue, growling, and occasionally nipping at the soft flesh of Will’s cheeks. Gods, he knew he’d never actually been sated until this--until _Will_. 

“Fuck, please-” The words tumbled out before he could stop himself, catching the word ‘Hannibal’ before it came out too, instead Will squeezed his legs to his chest more, desperate to get all of Lucas inside of him.

Lucas pulled off, and slicked his cock up with lube, laying down over Will; he made sure his fingers were slathered with it too, and worked in one, gazing at him as he did. When he felt the muscle give way, he added a second, then third, making sure he was opened up. “Ready?” he asked, huskily, and kissed the word into Will’s mouth. When he was given the go ahead, he lined his cockhead at his pucker, pushing in slowly, with a drawn out grunt. “Oh, fuck, min elskede-”

Fire burned through Will from rectum to core, and finally leveled out to pleasurable pain. He gazed up at Lucas, mouth dropped. “Oh, Lucas-”

“Will…” Lucas whispered, going slow still, not wanting to hurt him. He ran his hand down from Will’s neck, to his nipple, circling it, and then traced the jut of his hip, holding him in his grasp. 

Their joining was a union of its own. Their very being was melting together, molding to one another. Will wrapped his legs around Lucas’ hips, pulling him in. “Mm.”

Lucas smiled, and pumped into Will, creating a deep, passionate pace. He slipped his tongue inside his mouth, tasting every inch of the hot furnace there. As they moved as one, his heart attuned to it, to them, and he felt as though he was drowning in the love he knew he had for Will. “Will. Oh, helvede...”

They moved slowly, building the pace, passionate and perfect. Will raked his hands down Lucas’ back, over the brand he intended to make his own. “Lucas…”

“Yeah…” Lucas groaned, his ass flexing as he moved in and out of Will, over and over again. He felt a fire in his groin, spreading throughout his body, which threatened to burn him alive. 

Will didn’t want their coupling to end so soon, but his body wrenched and writhed, seizing up on him as every nerve set afire. “Harder, I’m so close-”

Lucas nodded, and flicked his tongue over Will’s lips, building a harder, faster rhythm. He began to sweat, hair hanging in his eyes. The bed shook from the force of it, making him growl with delight. “I’m close too… come for me, Will.” 

Will reached for his cock and worked himself up to the very end, spiraling down that pleasurable bliss, balls rising up as he shot, creamy white spilling over his stomach. “Shit, shit... Oh fu--”

Seeing that was phenomenal. Lucas slammed into Will’s pulsing hole, roaring; sharp teeth jutted down from behind his upper lip, tensing until he found his own blissful end. Over the cliff he plunged, into a sea of ecstasy, filling his lover up with his heated spend. “Will, shit, ah, baby-!”

Filled with heat and reeling passion, Will rode out the waves with Lucas until they came to rest, panting. “That was… perfect.”

“It was. You are.” Lucas kissed him, rolling onto his side, and stroked his face. He was utterly entranced. “I could get used to that.” He laughed, warmly.

“Me too.”


	3. Chapter 3

Lucas and Will spent the next few weeks getting to know one another, or in Will’s case, re-getting to know him. It was going well though and they enjoyed fishing, as well as hunting together. Lucas would have to go to the doctor again soon--in a month--and he hoped he would be able to find out more about his condition; it would also be nice to let him hear about his progress first hand from the doctor. 

Until then, Lucas had to work. He’d decided to continue his job. He just wanted to feel normal, like he had a grip on himself. It wasn’t easy knowing he had decades of life that he couldn’t remember. Mostly, he wanted to for Will. Could he hold his interest like this? He wasn’t as Hannibal seemed to be, but he didn’t know if he wanted to be either. One thing was for sure, he didn’t want to lose him. He was falling in love, and he knew that--or maybe he had been all along. 

The nightmares began one night out of nowhere. Lucas woke up screaming out ‘Mischa!’. He bit his lip bloody from the tension of it. Will had helped him, soothed him, and got him back to sleep. There were other nights though. He’d dream he was falling, or that he and Will were drowning. He couldn’t get to him, just out of reach. It was a comfort to wake up with Will there next to him in bed. The sweating was uncomfortable, but as he learned, Will had experience with that too. A couple of towels, a change of clothes, and a washcloth, and he was good to go. 

One day, after work, Lucas decided to pick up some groceries at the supermarket. What he didn’t expect was to be caught in the middle of a robbery. The man demanded money from the clerk, and Lucas, being the good person he was, wanted to help. 

“You don’t need to shout at her, she’s just a young girl.” 

“Fuck you, old man! Shut your fucking mouth or I’ll do it for you!” 

Lucas snarled then, rage welling up inside of him like a volcano about to erupt. He had a flash in his mind, an image of ripping his throat out with his teeth. The man took it as a challenge and attacked him. He had no gun, but he cracked Lucas in the nose, bloodying it up. The pain was staggering. Jolting. It made him snap back to himself. He couldn’t become Hannibal. But he wouldn’t be a pushover either.

He got to his feet, shaking his head. “That was unnecessary.” 

“You want more? I’ll fucking make sure you don’t walk again. This isn’t your business, just get out!” 

Lucas grabbed the man by the shoulders and headbutted him. It hurt the criminal more, but it broke the skin of his brow too. Blood dripped down his face, matting his hair, as he panted and licked his lips. He wanted to kill him, he could feel it still. The man was astounded, and ran out empty handed.

With a sniff, Lucas looked at the girl who was crying and shaking. 

“Are you okay?”

She nodded and he collected his things, after paying, and headed home. It didn’t take long, and he walked inside, setting the groceries down. Will would ask, he knew he would, he just hoped he’d done the right thing. 

“Will?”

“In here,” Will called back from the kitchen; something smelled good.

Lucas walked into the kitchen, sniffing, it did smell good, even if he was still bloody. “Hey.”

Looking over, Will’s smile faltered when he saw Lucas. He turned the stove down to simmer the stir fry and walked over with a clean, wet cloth. “What happened?”

“I walked in during a robbery at the supermarket. Got into an altercation with the man but he didn't get any money,” Lucas explained, leaning against the counter. He'd wanted to do so much more to that man, recipes popping into his mind. 

Will cleaned the wound, sunlight shining through the kitchen window and into Lucas’ eyes, honeying them. “Not your money, not your pride…” Will smiled. “You’re safe at least.”

“No but I couldn't allow him to terrorize the poor girl there,” Lucas said, smiling back. He touched Will’s jaw. “Thank you, kaereste. I had impulses there that were unlike me. Maybe more like Hannibal.”

“It’s okay to get defensive about someone,” Will insisted, and kissed Lucas’ fingers, dabbing at the wound, not as bad as it looked. “You didn’t eat anyone, so that’s a good thing.”

So Will liked that he was less like Hannibal? If that was the case, he was happy. When he felt Will’s lips, he hummed, and then chuckled. “A recipe did come into my mind though.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised. Probably some heart tartar.” Will finished cleaning the spot and then set the cloth in the hamper by the counter. Not having to worry if Lucas was going to go out and kill someone insatiably rude for dinner was actually quite peaceful for Will.

“Yeah it was actually,” Lucas said, shaking his head and then leaned over to kiss Will softly. “Thank you for cleaning me up. What are you cooking? It smells good and I'm hungry.”

“Beef stir-fry.” Will smiled against Lucas’ mouth. “Did you remember the rice at least?” he teased.

“Mhm, I did,” Lucas grinned, embracing Will. He was happy with their life and didn't want anything to mess it up. “Got more whiskey and beer too.”

“Oh good, we can get drunk,” Will chuckled, arms around Lucas’ shoulders, never as happy now as he had been in his whole life, which was saying quite a bit.

“Ja, kaereste. I knew we needed more and I could use a drink after today,” Lucas laughed, his eyes wrinkling at the corners. 

“Okay. Let’s eat and get drunk.” Will laughed, pulling back to check on the food. “Would you put the rice in the cooker?”

“Sounds good to me!” Lucas nodded with a grin and washed his hands. He walked over, picking up an apron, without realizing it, and then tied it on. Taking the rice, he put it into the cooker. 

“And a little butter and salt.” Will pushed them over to Lucas with a nudge of his elbow.

“If we had some fresh herbs that would make it better,” Lucas said, but added the butter and salt. The butter was your standard fare, he had an impulse to recoil. 

“We have dried herbs.” Will motioned to the pantry.

“That should work, yeah,” Lucas said, and pulled some down from there, planning on adding them in when the rice was closer to being done. 

The meal was made and dished up, and Will took their plates to the little table and sat down. If Lucas wanted to talk more about the incident, he was listening, but Will honestly hoped another didn’t happen.

“I headbutted the man at the store. I wanted to kill him, Will. I didn’t like that feeling,” Lucas blurted out, on the same wavelength as Will, just as they always had been. He took up his fork and dug in right away. “This is good by the way, thanks.” 

“Yeah,” Will said with a small smile as he put a fork of food into his mouth. He chased it with beer and then licked his lips, thoughtful. “Violence is... empowering. You might not like that you felt it, but it’s real emotion either way.”

Lucas didn’t like because of who it represented. He knew it was him, or had been, but couldn’t he turn over a new leaf? He took a few bites, guzzling some beer. “It felt good to stop him from what he’d been attempting to do, yes.” 

“I shot and killed a man once. He had killed his wife, tried to kill his daughter too. Sometimes, violence is all we have,” Will explained, though he was sure Lucas understood that more than he realized.

Lucas did, but he didn’t want to accept it. Still, he nodded, taking another bite. “Tried to kill his daughter. So she survived?” 

“Yeah, she did,” Will said, gauging Lucas carefully.

“Where is she now?” Lucas asked, finishing his food. He canted his head to look at Will, curiously. 

“In a better place,” Will murmured, putting more food into his mouth.

“I am sorry to hear that. How did she pass?” Lucas asked, swallowing his beer. “Unless this is too difficult a topic? I’m sorry, skat, I don’t want to be intrusive.”

“Uhm… she had her throat cut, same way her father attempted to,” Will said with a shift of his jaw, finishing his bite, but couldn’t manage another after that.

Lucas felt his stomach tense at that. Should he ask? Did he want to know? He had to. Maybe it would be something to help keep the beast in its cage. “Who...who cut her throat, Will?” 

“Remember when I told you about how I betrayed Hannibal? It was then. I didn’t know he had her, I thought she was dead already,” Will said quietly, setting his fork down. The dogs whimpered at his feet and he reached to pet Achilles once.

“Cutting her throat was payment for that betrayal,” Lucas said, leaning forward, “and by that act he--I--was betraying you in turn.” He shook his head, running his fingers through his hair, and then took a long drink of his beer, finishing it. “Betrayal and forgiveness.” 

It wasn’t the response he expected from Lucas, but Will nodded anyway. “I told you, we played games a lot. Trust and be trusted. And eye for an eye.”

“I don’t… it’s a lot to hear. Parts of me sort of understands it, but I wouldn’t ever do that. Not who I am now.” Lucas got up and grabbed two more beers. Getting drunk sounded even better now. There was blood on his hands, even if he couldn’t see, and that included the blood of a young girl. A young girl like the one he’d protected today. 

“You loved her like a daughter, we both did, but you also knew what she meant to me,” Will said, downing his beer to open the other. “It’s in the past.”

“It is. Like everything else in my life up to the day I woke up on the beach,” Lucas said quietly, emotion lacing his tone. He opened his beer, and took a few gulps. “I want to make all of that up to you, somehow.” 

“I can’t say I was entirely undeserving.” Will set his plate aside for now. “I knew what I was doing, that it would hurt you, deliberately.”

Lucas licked his lips, sniffing the air in thought. “Understanding like that usually only comes from a deep love.” 

“I’ve never know myself as well as I did with Hannibal. He helped me see the parts of myself I refused to acknowledge,” Will explained. He reached out and touched Lucas’ hand. “Again, it’s all in the past. This is a do over.”

Taking Will’s hand, Lucas laced their fingers together, looking at the bond there, at their connection. It was then that he flitted his eyes up to piercing hues, clearing his throat. “I am falling in love with you, more every day. I can’t help but worry that maybe… maybe if I never regain my memories… I just do not want to be boring. I can’t offer you what he did, but I can offer you the truth and other things we can share that you and he didn’t.” 

“I don’t mind different,” Will said, though he admittedly was looking forward to more conversation than what they had now, things that were deeper, but Will would take what he could. They were together.

Lucas still had all the intelligence that Hannibal did, naturally, but some of it was repressed and locked away with the other memories. He smiled and took Will’s hand to bring it to his lips for a kiss. “I’m glad to hear that.”

“We’re in this together now. I’m not leaving.” One way or another Will would stick around, Lucas or Hannibal, they were still _his_.

“No? Good.” Lucas grinned, toothily, his hair hanging in his eyes. He felt better at that and the beer was starting to warm him pleasantly. “Let’s grab another beer and sit out back.”

Will downed his new one and tossed the bottle, then grabbed them each another one. “Good idea. We can clean up later.”

“Yeah, exactly,” Lucas nodded, then finished off his beer, tossing it, and took the offered one from Will. “Thanks, min elskede.” 

They went out back and let the dogs run around, Will tossing a ball for them. “If you ever don’t want to hear something, just tell me.”

“I would never ask you to restrain or limit yourself, skat. I want to know everything, even if it’s to make sure I don’t ever become him again.” Lucas picked up the ball after jogging after it, and then tossed it as well, before sitting down in the lounger with his beer. 

“Lucas, I don’t mind if you do revert back. I’ll love you either way,” Will insisted, watching how great he was with the pups, a thing he never thought he’d see from Hannibal.

Lucas looked at Will, his eyes warm as he smiled. “Yeah? I’m glad to hear that,” he said, and got out of his lounger to go to Will, taking his face between his hands to kiss him soundly. 

Will hummed, holding Lucas around the waist with one hand. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Will,” Lucas whispered, speaking against his lips as he thumbed over Will’s cheek.

Whether Lucas got his memories back or not, Will would be there. Nothing would keep them apart again, and he’d make sure of that. He kissed Lucas one more time and then sipped his beer, taking his hand.

Lucas got his beer again as well, enjoying their time outside. “Today has been an eventful day.” 

“Sounds like it. How was work?” Will asked, letting things settle now, no use diving into the past more.

“It was good. Klara is a sweet girl. She is my top student, along with Josef.” Lucas smiled, but the truth was he still wasn't certain he should keep that job. 

Will never thought he’d see the day that Hannibal would be a school teacher, not to young children. He smiled at the thought and sipped his beer, wind whipping through the backyard and his hair. “You enjoy working there?”

“It's not intellectually stimulating, but I do like being around them. I wouldn't ever harm them.” Lucas smiled at Will, the beer taking its effect on his well fashioned form. Leaves blew about, beautiful as they sang a song of their own. 

“That’s good.” Will wondered if he should try to find something, but keeping a low profile he thought was best.

“You seem lost in thought,” Lucas stated, an echo of times past when Hannibal had something similar back at the house Cliffside. 

“I easily fall into old times and get lost in my own self,” Will commented, shrugging. He sipped on the beer and bumped his shoulder with Lucas’.

Lucas grinned and nudged Will back, drinking more of his beer. “Thinking of Hannibal?”

“Everything.” Will smiled back, bashfully. “Sorry. I’m here. I swear.”

“Good, because I just want you to stay with me,” Lucas said, keeping his eyes on Will.

Resisting the urge to call back to another time years ago, Will moved in and kissed Lucas softly. “I am where I am to be.”

Lucas set his beer down blindly, luckily getting the table, and then wrapped his arms around Will’s waist to kiss him back. “And so am I, kaereste.”

Will let his sit on the rail and then wrapped his arms around Lucas. “I’m sorry you had a bad day. I’ll make it up to you.”

“You already have, right now, and before when you helped with my wound,” Lucas whispered, his voice rough, and honeyed at the same time. He nipped at his lips, gazing. “But thank you, my love.”

“I’m trying.” Will kissed Lucas again, the dogs running around their feet, dropping a ball.

“You don’t have to try, you’re perfect as you are,” Lucas whispered, and then laughed as the ball rolled between their booted feet. “I think they are asking us to try for them though.” 

Will smiled and stooped to pick up the ball. He threw it. “They might be.”

“I’m just glad they get along as well as you and I do,” Lucas hummed, watching the dogs as he picked up his beer and hooked an arm around Will’s waist, standing at his side.

Laughing, Will picked up the ball again when the dogs brought it back. “We’re a peaceful pack.”

“Yeah we are,” Lucas chuckled, as the dogs scrambled for the ball. Achilles got it and trotted over triumphantly, dropping the ball once more at Lucas’ feet. He picked it up, and tossed it. “It was my turn, he said.” 

Laughing harder, Will shook his head. “By all means.”

“While we wait for them to tire out, do you want another beer?” Lucas asked after he’d finished his, staggering just a touch now. He chuckled, and scratched his flannel covered chest. 

“Sure,” Will said, downing the last of his, a much higher tolerance, but he enjoyed the sway of Lucas’s body with it.

Lucas nodded with a grin, and took their empties into the house. He grabbed beer number four? Five? For them both and returned, handing it to Will once he opened it. “Nothing like a cold beer on a cold night,” he laughed.

“We’ll heat things up.” Will winked at Lucas and took the bottle and a sip.

“Oh yeah? I like the sound of that, min skat,” Lucas chuckled, almost blushing, or maybe it was the beer. He took a gulp, wrapping his lips around the rim, and tipped his head back, Adam’s apple bobbing with the swallow.

Will watched, biting his lip. “The very least we can do to conserve energy too.”

“Mhm, that’s exactly where my mind was. Saving the power bill from being too high,” Lucas winked and then licked his lips, moving closer to Will. 

Will downed the beer and set the bottle aside, wrapping his arms around Lucas. “It’d be terrible to have to pay too much when we could generate our own heat.”

“Plus we’ll be helping the earth or something… I think?” Lucas laughed, his words slurring, just a little. He walked Will back to the patio column, a bit unsteadily, and set his beer down, kissing him. 

“Something like that.” Will groaned into Lucas’ mouth, trying not to laugh at the weight of him against him, heavy from booze.

“Ja…” Lucas hummed, then kissed Will, and finally laughed when he realized how he was leaning on him. “Looks like I can’t hold my liquor, or beer as well as you can.” 

“I drink a lot, not a healthy thing,” Will said and wrapped himself around Lucas, moving him toward the door, calling the dogs in. “Let’s move to something more horizontal.”

“We can always cut back together, if you want sometime,” Lucas offered, but then laughed as he went in with Will, the dogs behind them. “Sounds funny coming from a drunk Danish--uh, Lithuanian, doesn’t it? Horizontal is good though. Better.”

Will got Lucas on the couch and then shut the door. “Maybe we should,” he smiled and crawled on top of Lucas.

“Damn, I’m lucky as hell,” Lucas whispered, gazing up at Will. He was perfect in every way and his. It almost made him feel sorry for ‘Hannibal’ but that was a silly thought, now wasn’t it? 

Will took off his shirt and then helped Lucas with his, running his hands up his furry chest, finding all sorts of new things he loved about the man below him everyday. “We both are.”

“Love when you touch me this way.” Lucas in turn ran his hands over Will’s smooth chest, up to his carotid artery, feeling out his pulse, which was slowed from the beer. “But yeah, we are both very lucky, me more so though.”

“Why is that?” Will asked as his head canted back, exposing the thick column of his throat.

Lucas ran his tongue up Will’s throat, sucking on his Adam’s apple. “Your cunning, your personality, and how we fit well together. We’re a lot alike, in my opinion, and you’re not hard on the eyes either. You forgave me after everything, and accept me as I am now, knowing I may never be who I once was.” 

“Friendship and love know no bounds,” Will replied, mouth dropping open, fingers spreading against Lucas’ chest. “You’re stuck with me.”

“Good, because you’re stuck with me too,” Lucas smiled, leaning forward to sharing in a slow kiss. He placed his hands over Will’s ass, gripping.

“Are we still wearing too much?” Will moaned into Lucas’ mouth, reaching between them for his belt.

“I think we are, yeah. Maybe we should rectify that,” Lucas groaned, working Will’s belt off at the same time, limbs becoming a tangled, yet perfect mess. 

Somehow they managed to strip down completely, and Will stood, holding his hand out for Lucas. “Let’s take it somewhere more comfortable.”

Lucas took Will’s hand, grinning, and let him lead him to their bedroom. “I think that’s an excellent idea, kaereste.” Once inside, he kissed him, palming down his chest. “I know usually I am the one on top, but just so you know, I don’t mind if you wanted to switch.” 

“You want me to take you?” Will asked, pushing Lucas down onto the bed. Will had just assumed Lucas wasn’t interested in sex like that.

“I wouldn’t mind it, yeah,” Lucas crooned, his head spinning a little but pleasantly so. “It would be another way for us to join completely. If you wanted, of course.” 

“I do want.” Will crawled over Lucas and between his legs, and kissed from lips to nipple.

The alcohol surging through his body made everything heightened and he let out a breathy groan, not knowing he’d like having his nipples stimulated like that. “Oh fuck, Will, that’s good…”

Will bit each nipple, gazing at Lucas as worked his way down his chest, to his hip, taking in Lucas’ scent. His mouth watered as he licked the tip of his cock, humming.

“Oh helvede-” Lucas moaned, his toes curling and hips rolling slightly. His hand found the back of Will’s head, and rested there, not pushing, but more to ground him. It felt fantastic. 

Will would let Lucas take as he wanted, dropping his jaw to take him all the way in. He groaned around him, vibrating through the thickness of his length. He gripped Lucas’ thighs and held them, pushing them apart.

“Will…” Lucas breathed out, watching Will as he worked him over. The older man felt every nerve ending singing, his heart beating hard as precome leaked copiously. from the tip of his cock. “Mm, baby…”

Grabbing the lube, Will slicked up a finger, and gently circled Lucas’ entrance with it, slowly pressing in while he worked him over, tongue and mouth wetting his cock, teasing the nerves of the bulbous head. Lucas groaned, liking the feel of Will’s finger there. He parted his legs further, the pads of his digits pressing gently into his lover’s scalp. 

“That's so good-” 

A gentle press and Will slipped his finger in, saliva spilling from his lips and down Lucas’ length, taking in every scent and taste of his lover, intoxicated. The edges of Lucas’ vision blurred as pleasure fogged up his mind. He panted, skin heating to a boil. 

“Fuck, yeah-” 

Pulling off, Will dipped his head lower, licking down Lucas’ shaft, chin bumping against his balls, and then lapped them up, slowly, taking in every last taste and smell, musky and salty, perfect. He licked down to Lucas’ entrance, pressing a second finger in the tight pucker, pushing the muscle apart to accommodate.

Lucas cursed in Danish, never having been tasted there; it was so wonderful it nearly took his breath away. He let his head fall back to the pillow, hands under his knees to keep his legs back, ragged moans slipping past his full, shapely lips. 

“Oh my god. Please don’t stop…”

Will licked Lucas’ rim, a first for him as well in giving, but made the best efforts he could. He slipped both fingers in passed the tight wrung of muscle, easing his fingers further back to crook against his most sensitive spot, playing Lucas like a harp.

Lucas writhed, his hole clenching, and cock leaking from the unsheathed tip. He saw stars behind his eyes, the world taking a new shape as he was licked perfectly. “Ah, Will. For helvede, min skat.” 

Spreading his fingers, Will worked Lucas open, and when he was sure the other was ready, he lubed his own cock, and pressed in slowly, leaning over his beau. He licked his lips, grasping Lucas’ shoulder for leverage. “There-”

“Yeah… exactly there,” Lucas grunted, wrapping his long legs around Will’s hips as he locked eyes with Will, hands on his biceps. He felt their union come full circle, sealing them together in an eternal loop of love and destiny. 

Rolling his powerful hips once into Lucas, Will groaned, head hanging low, never diverting his gaze. He set a steady pace, keen senses set on Lucas the whole time, pushing and melding, becoming one all over again.

“Feels so good. Will…” Lucas breathed out, his chest rising and falling with each inhalation. He ran his hands up his back, to Will’s nape, wanting to feel him chest to chest. 

Working his hips forward as their bodies slid together, sweat covering every inch of them, Will moaned and worked harder, beating into Lucas prostate with each passionate pass. “Lucas-”

“William-” Lucas murmured, the elongated name passing through his lips like a breeze, a nod to who he once used to be. His body became inflamed with desire, his lips curling as he kissed him, nipping at his lips. “Fuck…”

Tensing, Will’s body ignited, heavy and hot, pushing into Lucas ass as he came with a growl. “Oh god, fuck…”

The same instant that Will came, so did Lucas, their bodies in sync, as well as their minds, and hearts. He tightened his limbs around him, shaking as come shot out of his cock, making his hole strangle the last bit of seed from his lover. “Will!” 

Will worked Lucas’ cock dry, hands slipping in it while their bodies rolled and rocked, writhing, until they slowed to a slippery stop. Panting, Will kissed Lucas again nice and slow. He chuckled, rocking his hips to ride out the last waves.

Lucas smiled, warmly, and ran his hands down Will’s back, drinking him in. He basked in the afterglow, his heart rate returning to normal, and drew a deep, contented breath. “You are incredible, Will. I love you.” 

Will rolled to the side, fingers in Lucas’ chest hair. “I love you, too. I’m glad I tracked you down, Lucas.”

“I’m really glad you did. I saw your picture. I looked at it often, and it made me feel less alone,” Lucas confessed, his fingers in Will’s hair as he rolled over too, smiling. “Now I’m not alone at all, and neither are you. We never have to be.”

“You are just as alone as I am, always have been,” Will whispered. “But now we’re alone together.”

“Yes,” Lucas whispered back, the phrase, and conversation-sparking a hint of recollection. He cupped his cheek and smiled. “We’ve brought the teacup back together. I… does that have any significance? It seems like something I've maybe said before.”

“It is.” Will’s eyes glistened a little in the low light of the room. He licked his lips once, chest tight, aching. “I never thought we’d gather it back together.”

“But we did,” Lucas murmured and kissed Will’s lips once, holding him close. “Broken things can come back together if they are filled with gold or other things that could do that.” Lucas chuckled softly and nuzzled him. 

“Kintsugi,” Will whispered with a small smiled against Lucas’ mouth. “I told you once that the teacup wasn’t going to come back together. I guess I was wrong.”

“Yes and I’m glad you were,” Lucas whispered back, his lips twisting into a grin. He kissed his nose, then his jaw, back to his lips once more. “Are you happy here in Denmark? We could always move elsewhere.” 

“Where else would we go? This is your life now,” Will insisted, not wanting to take Lucas from something he worked so hard to establish.

“I just want to make sure you’re happy, min elskede,” Lucas explained, kindly, wrapping his arms around him to embrace tightly. He was grateful to have such a wonderful man in his life. 

“I could be happy anywhere.” He meant it, as he had followed Hannibal across the oceans more than once just to be with him.

“Same here. As long as I have you and our furry ones, I don’t care where we are,” Lucas said, also meaning it to his very marrow. He just hoped nothing ever happened to separate them. 


	4. Chapter 4

“Will?” a voice from behind him chimed over his shoulder.

He set the rice in the basket he held and turned, head first, sea-blues meeting baby blues, curiously. He pressed his lips together, jaw shifting. This was not good. Licking the back of his teeth he faced her, forcing a smile.

“Alana. What… brings you here?”

“I could ask you the same.” She adjusted her blazer, heels clacking against the tiles as she walked a little closer.

Will chuffed, shrugging his shoulders. “Wife wanted a divorce. I needed a vacation.”

“Hm.” She hummed. 

“And you?”

“The schools are great here and it’s away from…” she gestured, daring not say the name. 

“Hannibal. Right. He’s considered dead, you know.”

“I know.”

“But you don’t believe that.”

“Do you?”

Will shrugged. 

“Where are you staying?”

Will paused, putting beans into the basket he had, giving her a look. “Downtown. There’s a hotel there.”

“Extended stay? With a kitchenette?”

“Yeah.” Will pushed passed her, patting her shoulder. “It was good to see you, Alana. Tell Margot hello.”

***

“We’ve got a problem,” Will said as he walked through the door, setting the bags of groceries down on the counter. The dogs wagged at his feet and he dropped them a few treats to get them to hold off.

Lucas walked over to Will, brows furrowed. Immediately he smelled a familiar fragrance, and he pursed his lips. “What is it, kaereste?” 

“Alana Bloom.” Will took the food from the bag, setting each item on the counter. “She’s an old colleague of yours, friend of mine. Last you saw her you threatened her. She’s here with her family. She saw me.”

"No, this is not good news at all," Lucas said, rubbing his jaw. He leaned in and kissed Will, wondering if Hannibal would have just found her and killed her to keep her silent. He couldn't do that. "What should we do?"

“I don’t know. She’s bound to come looking. I told her I was at a hotel on vacation, but if she tracks me down and finds me not there…” Will gestured his shoulders, turning to face Lucas. “We might have to run suddenly.”

“We may need to do that now,” Lucas frowned, not wanting to go, or to leave the children he taught, and cared for at work. They were like family to him. “Would Hannibal kill her?” 

“He’s promised it to her, from what I understand.” Will sighed, not happy about it either. “They’re living here and plan to put their son into school. So, you might see him, she might see you…”

Lucas took Will’s face between his rough hands, no longer well manicured as they had been. The fishing and hunting had toughened them up as well. “I don’t want to lose you or be taken from you, skat. I think we should go.” 

“Okay. Uhm… I’ll pack up the food and the dogs,” Will said, since those were the most important to him anyway, clothes second.

“I’ll pack our clothes and ready the truck, get our passports,” Lucas said, and touched Will’s arm before moving away to do that. “Any place you want to go? Italy and France seem like obvious places to look for him--me--from what you’ve told me about him, so maybe somewhere they wouldn’t think of?” 

“Australia? Japan?” Will shrugged his shoulders, unsure honestly. “Chiyoh might be there. Japan.”

“Then we should go there. She might be able to help somehow,” Lucas pondered, though Australia sounded nice too, but maybe Chiyoh could bring back more memories. Either way he was set on not becoming a monster again. 

“She might. She doesn’t like me.” Will chuckled, packing up everything for the dogs. He wasn’t sure Alana had followed him, if she had she would be here soon, and soon behind her, Jack Crawford or local authorities.

“Why doesn’t she like you?” Lucas asked, moving quickly to get everything together. He brought the minimal out into the living room, placing the bags down between them. 

“I got under her skin I think. Went looking for you, found her being a jail keeper to the man that killed your sister. I helped her, I let him go and she killed him,” Will explained, setting everything by the door.

“So you tricked her into killing him then? Like Hannibal does...or did?” Lucas asked, grabbing a few last things. “Let’s talk about this in the truck,” he decided, and grabbed as much as he could fit into his hands. 

Will leashed the dogs and then grabbed a few bags, taking them to the truck, Lucas right behind him. It wasn’t much but it was enough to get going. “Got it.” Will stuffed everything in and got the dogs situated.

Lucas got into the driver’s side and started the engine, nodding with a weary smile at Will. It wasn’t the life he wanted for them, being on the run. He couldn’t even leave a note or say goodbye to the children. Tears pricked his eyes as he backed out. “I’m sorry we have to do this. You deserve …better.” 

“I really don’t,” Will insisted, sighing once as he buckled in. In the distance a large black car was approaching. “I think we’re leaving just in time.”

Lucas stepped on the gas, but not so much that it would draw attention. He felt his heart race, and he gripped the wheel tighter. He couldn’t be caught, especially when he didn’t feel he had done any of the things that he knew Hannibal did. “I love you, Will. I’ll get us out of here.” 

“Let’s just keep driving. Our best plan for right now until we’re out of the area and we can reevaluate how to get to Japan,” Will commented, hands on his thighs as they passed the car coming, keeping his head low.

Taking a left down a backroad, Lucas kept an eye on the rearview. If they followed, then they’d know they’d seen them leave; all they could do was hope for the best. “Yeah, skat,” he said, picking up speed again when the truck leveled out. “Good plan.”

“She won’t do much, but she could call local authorities.” Will watched the back, but the car seemed to have stopped at the house. Good.

Lucas noticed too, which made him let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “Better safe than sorry. Either way she either followed you or found out where we lived.” Taking Will’s hand, he kissed it, making another right. 

“Likely followed me. I figured she might. I’m not exactly the most trustworthy to her now.” Will shrugged and leaned back, squeezing Lucas’ hand.

“You never harmed her though right?” Lucas asked, letting their entwined hands rest on his thigh as he drove, forearm flexing from his grip on the wheel. 

“No. Never touched her. If anything I tried to protect.” Will gazed out the window, keeping an eye on the road.

“Why doesn’t she trust you then? Because of me? Were you two involved?” Lucas had so many questions. 

“No. I kissed her once but she refused to date me. But when I was locked up, you and her…” Will gestured with his free hand. “I’m certain you did it to get to me.” He sighed, looking at Lucas. “When you left me gutted and killed Abigail, I went after you months after. I also, deceived everyone when I helped you escape.”

“So many horrible things I did to you, and you to me in turn, though I think I understand why you did what you did to me.” Lucas sighed, looking over at Will at a redlight, his eyes apologetic. “You still helped me after all that, just like you are now.”

“We’re just a like. Different but the same,” Will stated, squeezing Lucas’ hand. “Maybe not so much now.”

“I don’t know, I think we still are. We both love to fish, hunt, wear flannel,” Lucas laughed, rubbing his thumb over Will’s knuckle. “I’m a teacher, so still smart, but maybe not as dull as Hannibal, right?” 

“We’re more alike now than differently alike,” Will pointed out, though not upset by this. “You’re… I think your mind took me as a personality, at least part of it.”

“I missed you so badly that I became you?” Lucas asked, happy to be able to share part of his beau, or be him in a sense. He really liked who he was now, it just felt right. 

“Not completely. But the flannel and hunting, fishing… dog loving, hell, even the teaching, is very much who I am, or was, as an aesthetic.”

“A Will Graham aesthetic. I like that,” Lucas laughed, letting it lighten the mood. He felt better the further away they got from town. “Do you miss the things Hannibal brought to the table that were different? The clothes, the music, the elegance you’ve spoken about?” 

“Honestly?” Will looked at Lucas with a sad smile. “Yeah. But, that is what it is. If I were in your shoes and I had changed, because of amnesia? I know you’d love me anyway.”

“I would and it sounds like Hannibal would’ve too,” Lucas said, appreciative of the honesty, but it was sad to hear Will missed something he couldn’t remember. Biting his lower lip, he pressed the gas pedal, the light green. “Parts or all of him could come back. Or of me. I don’t know what will happen to ‘Lucas’ when he does. Would you miss these aspects of me, if Hannibal came all the way back?” 

“It’s not fair to ask me that.” Will looked at their hands, having grown very fond of Lucas, to the life they enjoyed, but now that life was gone, there was no saying if they would enjoy those moments again. “I would miss everything, of course. Just as I miss things about Hannibal.”

“I do not want to be unfair, but it’s simply confusing for me. I am jealous of this Hannibal. Which is silly, because he’s me, or well I’m him. I don’t know,” Lucas huffed, laughing ironically at himself. He kissed Will’s hand again, then set it back on his thigh, patting it. “As long as we’re together, I suppose it doesn’t matter. I just know I love you, and he clearly did or does too.” 

“It’s a strange situation. I don’t know that I could decide if I had to.” Will watched their hands and then looked out the window, licking his lips. “I just… I know I can’t live without you, whoever you might be.”

“Then that’s all that matters I think,” Lucas smiled, rubbing the back of Will’s neck gently, feeling soft curls brush his skin. “So one thing I can say about Hannibal is that he was well prepared. There’s everything we need in the bag behind your seat.” 

“Not surprised.” Will heaved a sigh and relaxed, or he tried to, under Lucas’ touch. “He was always a step ahead of everyone.”

“Yeah, there’s a small private plane we will be taking there. All I had to do was text the number provided,” Lucas said, removing his hand when he had to make a broad turn. 

“When did you do that?” Will blinked, watching Lucas.

“When I was getting our bag together in the room. I sent it then, knowing we'd need the way to leave and since Hannibal had it ready to go I did. ” Lucas answered. It hadn’t taken but a few seconds to send it off. “Was in too big of a hurry to mention it before now.”

“Oh.” Will wondered how Lucas knew, or realized, but he also was aware that sometimes somethings were just… known. “I’m glad to know we’re good then. The dogs will be okay?”

“Yes, I found some papers in a drawer before you got here with the information, but I didn’t think much about it, when we decided to leave, it clicked,” Lucas added, explaining a bit more when Will said that. “They will. I mean he planned it out for you both, he knew how you loved dogs I imagine, so I don’t think they’ll be a problem.”

“It’s only two.” Will knew Hannibal would have accommodated either way, but he had no idea for how many. “Luckily.”

“Maybe we can get two more when we’re settled?” Lucas offered, not minding at all, but travelling with dogs was difficult. Hopefully when they arrived in Japan they wouldn’t have to leave again for a long, long time. 

“Four dogs total? You’re worse than I am,” Will chuckled, taking Lucas’ hand again. “ _If_ we can settled.”

“We will, and I am? So you’ve never had more than three dogs?” Lucas asked, almost knowingly. He pulled onto a open field, the address to the plane also having been in the papers he’d found. 

“I’ve had more, but never on the run.” Will laughed. He watched the field and then readied to get out, the leashes in hand so the dogs wouldn’t run for it.

A man was waiting at the foot of the plane steps and Lucas gave Will a look, grinning with a cant of his head. He grabbed their bags, and the paperwork, heading with his beau to get them all settled on the plane. Once they were, he stretched back in the rather accommodating private area. “This is really fancy.” 

“You’ve got a lot of money.” Will walked the dogs on, setting them up with some food and making sure they didn’t need to do their business first.

“True,” Lucas smiled, and helped with get the dogs settled, standing back up. When they were, he took his beau’s hand and sat back down, buckling up. “Feels like I was just flying to Denmark and now we're leaving.”

Will smiled at Lucas and squeezed his hand as the dogs settled at their feet, comfortable there where they could see them. “I sailed a boat over the Atlantic when I went to find you in Italy.”

“Why didn't you fly? You wanted time to think on the water right?” Lucas asked with a smile and leaned over to kiss Will’s cheek.

“Something like that.” Will chuckled, ducking his a head a little. It was strange how he had, and the reasons odd, even to him. 

“Do you want a drink?” Lucas asked, grinning at Will. He wondered about the way Will looked at away from him and averted his gaze. He was entirely beautiful. 

“Sure.” Will was in no rush though, happy to be at Lucas’ side.

Lucas waited until they were able to remove their seat belts and then got up to go pour Will a whiskey. He got himself a beer and then sat down, handing the glass to his beau. “A toast to our new life?” 

“Our second, second, second chance?” Will grinned, clinking his glass with Lucas’.

Lucas laughed heartily at that and nodded, his longer strands in his eyes. He didn't care as much about having it perfectly coiffed like Hannibal. Taking a drink, he licked his lips. “Yeah exactly. We’ll get it right this time around, kaereste.” 

“As long as we’re together, I’m sure we will.” Will took a long sip of his drink, hoping to God that Alana didn’t follow them further, or have though to.

Lucas worried about that too but hoped for the best. He'd watched behind them but knew anything was possible. “As long as we're together, skat.”

***

The plane ride was hours long, but they arrived in Japan just at sunrise there, oranges and red cascading across the horizon. Will leashed the pups once more and helped Lucas with the baggage. A car waited for them, as if somehow someone had known. The driver side door opened and Chiyoh stepped out, dressed far more elegantly than the last time Will had seen her.

“I expected you both earlier.”

“Can’t speed up a plane,” Will retorted.

Chiyoh narrowed her eyes as she helped Lucas with the bags. “I mean, I expected you months earlier.”

Lucas smoothed down his sweater vest over the plaid shirt and nodded, grabbing a bag in one hand. “Yes, sorry we're late. I have had the small inconvenience of losing all my memories after apparently falling into the ocean. I don't remember you so I think an introduction is in order. I'm Lucas.”

Chiyoh gave Will a look, and then offered her dainty hand to Lucas. “I’m Chiyoh. I knew Hannibal since he was a much younger man.”

“Nice to meet you, Chiyoh. I'm sure this is strange for you,” Lucas chuckled, shaking her hand gently, then let go. “Thanks for meeting us here.”

“Of course.” Chiyoh put their things in and got into the driver’s seat. “Your aunt’s house is where I’ll be taking you. So no longer lives there.”

“Why did she leave?” Lucas asked, though he had no clue about her in the least. He sat in front, after opening the back door for Will, not wanting to be rude to Chiyoh since she’d come for them. “And thank you, we appreciate it, Chiyoh.” 

“She died.” Chiyoh waited until they were settled, and then started to drive off toward the Lecter home of Tokyo.

“I’m very sorry,” Lucas said, quietly, and looked back at Will and the dogs. He leaned back in the seat, watching the world go by. It was beautiful, but it wasn’t Denmark. In the end, Will was his home, not any certain place, and for that reason, it didn’t matter where they were. 

Will had no idea who Hannibal’s aunt was, nor did he care much. He held onto Lucas’ hand as the dogs panted out the window, much to Chiyoh dimsay. “It’s lovely here.”

“Yeah it is, really beautiful,” Lucas said, wondering how much more about the old him he would learn. Would more memories come back being in a place he likely visited before? 

Cherry blossoms fell from the trees, littering the ground like pink snow. They drove up a long drive and Chiyoh parked the car at a very not estate, whimsically decorated to the area. Will pushed the door open and lead the dogs on their leashes. “This is…”

“Stunning,” Lucas said, grabbing their bags as he followed Will and Chiyoh up the walkway to the front door so she could open it. He saw the Lecter crest on the knocker and felt a twinge of remembrance, though it wasn’t clear exactly how or what yet. 

Chiyoh opened the door and lead them in. “Are you sharing a room, or should I have another one made up?”

“Sharing.” Will watched her facial movements, but she was as stoic as ever.

“This way.” She lead them up the stairs the bedroom. Nothing was overly flourished or too elegant, but it was simple and littered with Japanese garden decor and easy on the eyes colors.

Lucas’ hand skimmed over the white bamboo stair railing, his and Will’s shoes left by the door for a pair of slippers instead, and went inside the room. It was perfect, he decided, sitting their bags down just inside. “Thank you, Chiyoh. It’s wonderful.” 

The bed was not fancy, no weird headboards or comforters. Will set their things down and let the dogs off the leashes, so they could sniff around. “Thank you, Chiyoh.”

She nodded at them both once and left.

“So? What do you think?” Lucas asked, grinning as he laid on the bed, head propped up under one arm as the other rubbed the bed. 

“Less… snobby than I thought,” Will admitted. “Nothing like Hannibal might decorate.”

“It is yeah,” Lucas nodded, yawning. He was tired from the flight, jet lagged. “Maybe that’s why we like it so much. Come here, skat.” 

Will shrugged off his jacket and left it on the chair there, and then crawled onto the bed, into Lucas’ arms. “Anything about this place familiar?”

Lucas rubbed Will’s arm, squeezing him, and kissing his head as the dogs flopped down on the floor to sleep. “The Lecter crest made a spark of something come back. More just a familiarity, like you said. Also, taking off my shoes inside the door, putting on the slippers. It all seemed to be like something I’ve done before too.” 

“You likely have. As a boy. You told me once you lived here for a little while,” Will whispered, content to rest up against Lucas, hand on his stomach.

“After Mischa died, I guess,” Lucas said, wishing he could at least remember more about her. He sometimes saw who he assumed was her in his dreams though. For now, his eyes grew heavy, comforted by the sound of snoring dogs, and Will’s breathing, the warmth they shared together. “I don’t know what I would have done if they’d taken me from you, elskede.” 

“We’d have figured it out.” Will leaned up and kissed Lucas’ jaw. He didn’t know either, but it wasn’t something he was entirely worried about now.

“We would have,” Lucas agreed, feeling safer now that they were miles and miles away from Denmark, and Alana. “Are you hungry, sleepy, anything else?” 

“I’m content. I could eat, but I’m feeling the jetlag.” Will stifled a yawn and wrapped a leg around Lucas’ hip.

"So then let's get some sleep, ja?" Lucas grinned, and yawned as well. He covered them up, and pulled off his vest, and took off his button up. 

Will moved out of the way, enough to let Lucas undress, too tired himself to bother, and then snuggled back up against him, mostly _on_ him. “Sounds good.”

“It does,” Lucas sighed, happy, and tired, wrapping his arms around Will lovingly. He snuggled him, enjoying the feel of his beau so close like that. “Sleep well, kaereste.”

“You, too.”


	5. Chapter 5

The first few days were spent unwinding and unpacking what they had, getting the dogs settled, and mostly avoiding Chiyoh unless it was dinner time. They shared meals where they took turns cooking, it was a peace life, for the most part. Something lingered in the back of Will’s mind though as stress weighed heavy on his shoulders, the danger they could still very well be in. 

It was Chiyoh who finally spoke up after one of their more quiet dinners. “Perhaps a trip to a local Sentō would help you both. Tension in the calm will only make things worse. Go and cleanse yourselves.”

The word sounded familiar to Lucas and then it came to him. “A bathhouse, right? That’s what it is?” He wasn’t sure about it really, it seemed so...like he would exposed, which he would. Still, maybe it would help. “Alright...yeah, sure. I’ll go. Kaereste, are you okay with that?” 

“I don’t mind going. It’s just a sauna isn’t it?” Will asked, brows raised as he put a piece of sushi in his mouth.

“Yes. Sometimes a little more. The one down the street has a pool and showers as well,” Chiyoh explained.

“Okay, so that’s what we’ll do,” Lucas smiled warmly, using his chopsticks -- which he surprisingly knew how to use -- to take a bite. 

“I’ve never been to one, it’ll be… interesting.” Will took another piece of sushi, something that was growing on him, and put it in his mouth. Whatever they could do to ease their troubled discomfort, he’d be willing to try.

“I haven’t either. Not since I can remember, anyway,” Lucas said with a sigh, looking at Chiyoh, and then Will. He took another bite. “What were your experiences with me, Chiyoh? Was I good to you?” 

They’d avoided it long enough, Will supposed, as Chiyoh lifted her chin slightly, considering them both. She gave Will a leveled look and then smile the best she could at Lucas. “For the most part you were. I was too young when you left to realize what you were leaving me with. I was the jailer of your sister’s killer. That was your task to me because I refused to let you kill him for what he did.”

Lucas swallowed another mouthful, taking a drink of his beverage, and nodded. Never was there any good news surrounding Hannibal it seemed. “Where is this monster now?” 

Exchanging a look with Will, Chiyoh squared her shoulders. “He is dead. Will Graham made sure that I did that some years ago and why I am able to be here now and not at the Lecter Castle.”

“So Will did us a favor,” Lucas decided, since she wasn’t trapped and the horrible man who’d killed his sister was gone. It felt gratifying, the whole conversation. He finished his sushi, then wiped his mouth. 

“Yes. I suppose.” Chiyoh’s tone was stilted. She glared at Will, clearly still not over all he had done to her or Hannibal, but what was in the past now.

“It’s better than you being a prisoner,” Lucas said, watching Chiyoh glare at his boyfriend. He set his drink down rather hard on the table, something rude for who he used to be. “Please stop. We are grateful for everything but I think you staring at him that way is unkind. I dislike unkindness.” 

Chiyoh stood and bowed her head. “My apologies.” She cleared the dishes from the table in silence, leaving the two men.

“She’s fine,” Will insisted. “I… did trick her into killing him.”

“I didn’t mean to snap at her, but I didn’t like how she looked at you,” Lucas said, feeling bad for having upset her. It was Lecter property, but it felt more like it was her home than his. “You did things in your past, just like I did. Forgiveness.” 

Will shrugged, it wasn’t so easy to forget his past when he could remember all of it. Lucas had nothing to go on, nothing to consider about himself. Not that Hannibal ever felt bad for anyone he killed or ate. “I suppose so. It’s fine.”

“Alright, skat,” Lucas conceded. He didn’t remember his past, but being told he was this murderer, when he didn’t feel like one, wasn’t easy either. He got up after finishing his drink, to let the dogs out. 

Will followed suit, standing at Lucas’ side. “Are you upset?”

“I am, yes, but not at you,” Lucas answered, watching the dogs. He turned to look at Will, licking his lips in thought. “It’s...a lot to take in. All of this. What I’ve done, what you’ve done because of me. Running from the FBI. I just want us to have a place in the country somewhere, with the dogs. Maybe even have a family, if you’d ever want one.” 

“I got here on my own.” Wistfully, Will smiled at Lucas, listening to the things he wanted, as though he were Will himself. Sadly, that was partially who it was inside of Lucas. “I’ve always wanted one. I’ve just always had it taken away.” Will touched Lucas’ arm. “We’re doing all we can in this situation. You’re this man now, but you weren’t always. Sometimes we have to bury our past to move forward, but we can’t forget about it completely.”

“That is true, very much so. I fear I will become him again, but I think by now I’ve become is not going to die,” Lucas said, a sad smile on his lips before wrapping his arm around Will’s waist. He looked into his blue eyes and his heart skipped a beat; he always had that effect on him though. “Maybe later we will have the chance to have a family of our own, when everything is figured out.” 

“Maybe we will.” Will leaned in and kissed Lucas’ lips once. He felt bad for missing Hannibal, and felt bad for loving Lucas at the same time. How could either one of them be the same man? “Let’s get ready for the bath house.”

“Good idea,” Lucas smiled, and then kissed Will back before moving away to let the dogs run back in. He held the door for his handsome beau, then followed him inside to get ready. All he could do was hope for the best really, and that time would be on their side.

They changed into comfortable clothes and Chiyoh laid out towels for them to bring, the rest could be bought at the bathhouse. They walked, it was nice out, and it wasn’t too far. Cherry blossoms littered the ground like snow, which made Will smile.

“It is beautiful here,” Lucas commented, taking Will’s hand as they strolled. “Instead of the leaves in Denmark, we have these, which are stunning in a different way.” He looked over at his beau, seeing that smile, and turned to kiss him. “You though, you’re the best looking aspect out of any place.”

Will ducked his head after he was kissed. “Hardly,” he insisted, strolling with Lucas with towels over their arms, they looked a little ridiculous, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. They were together.

“I beg to differ, kaereste,” Lucas crooned, his eyes crinkling as he smiled bigger. He liked how Will responded to him, and for that moment, he felt peace. Maybe this was a good idea, he would have to apologize to Chiyoh for snapping at her. 

They reached the bath house and they entered, paying the person attending, and then slipped their shoes off and put them into one of the offered shoe lockers. They were directed to the male bathroom where they dressed down into the towels. “Sauna first?”

“Good idea, skat, yeah,” Lucas nodded, making sure no one was eyeing his boyfriend as they walked. He was discreet though. 

Will gave Lucas a knowing look, taking his hand briefly as they wandered into the room filled with steam. He’d never done this before, but he could see where it might be relax to sweat out the… toxins? He took a seat and tugged Lucas down with him. To his left Will saw the profile of someone, and on looking further, he could have sworn he knew him, but the foggy air inside the sauna make it difficult to see.

Lucas saw no one, and leaned back, closing his eyes as he enjoyed the steam. “This is nice,” he commented, feeling the warmth wash over him, his hand seeking out Will’s through the fog. 

Will smiled and focused on Lucas instead, sitting a little closer. “Isn’t it? I feel like all our beer is going to be sweated out of us.”

“Then we’ll have to replenish when we get home.” Lucas chuckled, and kissed Will once, glad they seemed to be alone in there. 

Will cupped Lucas’ face and kissed him again, since it was hard to see in here anyway. “I’d like that. Go out to the garden and relax a little.”

“That sounds damned wonderful,” Lucas hummed, his skin growing warmer and warmer, sweat dripping. “It’s hotter in here than I thought it would, you know?”

“I think that’s the point,” Will laughed, a few people getting up to leave.

“I know, I know, but it’s….” Lucas chuckled, wiping his brow and sighing. “Kaereste, I think I need to get out of here, go find the spring outside, or a pool. Something, ja?”

“Okay. I’ll be right behind you,” Will said, touching Lucas’ arm once with a smile, their skin already slicked with sweat.

“Sounds good, min elskede,” Lucas smiled back, and then stood. “I’ll save you a spot.” 

“Alright. Will patted Lucas’ ass as he got up and smirked, then leaned back, letting the steam cling and cleanse him, or whatever it was supposed to do.

As Lucas left, a few others got up as well, including the one Will had seen earlier. Curious, he stood and walked after them, but when he got to the door, it was locked.

***

Lucas made it to the hot springs outside, the area deserted save for himself at the moment. He found he was glad for it, and the cool air that had chilled him enough to want to be inside the warm waters that awaited him. Climbing inside, he closed his eyes, waiting for Will. When he heard the footsteps, he smiled, not moving, pretending to be dozing to surprise his love. 

He was the one who was to be surprised. Suddenly, Lucas was under water, held down by powerful arms. He thrashed, kicking and flailing, trying to get up to the surface for air. As the water went in his eyes and nose, he held them closed, but there was a flash behind them. The ocean, cold in contrast to where he was now, salty water stinging his eyes and invading his lungs. Then the sharp stabbing pain of when he’d fallen, the embrace before it, and the slaughter of the dragon that lead to it. 

Anger welled up inside of Lucas as everything he had with Will was being threatened to erode once more, swept away by the water that was engulfing him now. He used all of his strength and managed to latch on with sharp teeth to the thigh of the man holding him down. It was enough to jolt him, so he was released. Quickly, he rose up, out of the water and took a breath, coughing and sputtering. The face he saw, combined with the bits of ragged flesh and blood in his mouth, between his teeth, was all he needed to remember. 

“Matthew…” he managed, and then growled, both men lunging for one another at the same time. 

“I’ve found you again, Doctor Lecter. This time I’ll finish you and take what’s mine. My mate.”

Lucas snarled, bearing crimson tinged fangs. He headbutted Matt, gripping him around the throat when he kicked his knee from the side, cracking it, and sending him down. “Will is not property, but he and I belong to each other. No one will take that from us!” 

Matt’s eyes bugged out, crazed as it was his turn to fight against Lucas. It was no use though, not with a busted knee, and split forehead. Not to mention the lack of oxygen due to the grip on his throat. He began to weaken, turning blue, and that was when the lion roared, taking the hawk down, under the water. When he was done there, he pulled him back up, letting him gasp just before he snapped his neck, dropping him back in. 

It occurred to him that Will hadn’t come out, and he ran then, fearing the worst, towards the sauna. It was locked he discovered, but easily opened from the otherside. “Will!” he called out, opening the door, a large billow of steam escaping with it. 

Banging on the door, Will fell forward when it opened and right into Lucas’ arms. Blinking to see straight after the steam, Will patted up his chest and then wrapped his arounds Lucas. Their eyes met and Will knew, something had happened. His fingers wiped blood from the other man’s mouth.

“Lucas. What happened?”

Lucas lead Will out of the steam room, more memories continuing to come back. It all hit him like a ton of bricks. Everything he'd done and didn't feel sorry for, combined with the remorse of the person he'd become. Quite perplexing. 

"I am alright, Will. Let's leave this place, you are nearing dehydration, and we can't stay. Matthew attacked me. He's...he's dead now," he said, conflicted. "Talking at home is best, skat...Will." 

Will searched Lucas face, his eyes, and nodded. He would ask later about Matthew, but right now there were other things important. “What of the body?”

“The water washes away the prints, and we can’t move him. Too many eyes about. Leave him, and let’s go. We may have to leave again, however,” Lucas said, taking Will’s hand to usher him out the back. 

They made their way back and grabbed their clothes and shoes, changing quickly, paying the woman at the front. Will was still sweating, dripping down his back under his shirt. “I don’t know where else we could go…”

“I do,” Lucas said, walking out and down the road. He looked at Will, and when he saw a little store, he held up his finger. A moment later, he came back with bottle of water. “Drink, please.” 

Blinking, Will took the bottle and opened it. He drank it down quickly. “You do?” They continued their walk, Will apprehensive to the man next to him, not sure what to call him at the moment.

“My memories are coming back. It’s rather...well it’s really damned confusing,” Lucas said. He shook his head. “For both of us, but I know mostly who I am, and what I’ve done. To spare any confusion, I believe it fitting to continue calling me Lucas. He is a valid part of me too, and it draws less attention.”

Will nodded. “Lucas,” he whispered, taking the other man’s hand as they walked, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. “Are you… okay?”

Lucas laced their hands together, squeezing to tether himself. So much knowledge at once was a lot, but the doctors had told him it would happen that way, if his memory came back. “My head hurts, my lungs are sore from nearly being drowned, and my heart is burdened,” he said, chuckling quietly at the absurdity of the day, “but I’m otherwise okay, elskede.”

“Don’t be burdened. I’m here to help with the load.” Will leaned over and kissed Lucas’ cheek. Only time would tell how this would work out.

“Thank you, Will. It seems as though you are my paddle now.” With a nod, Lucas smiled at that, sniffing and showing his teeth to swallow down a bit of blood. “I’ve stepped into the shoes of someone else, walked in places I never thought I would, and now I’m left sifting through the aftermath. Do I rebuild entirely, or simply repair the damage that has been done. That’s where I’m at as we walk towards home.” 

“You do what feels right. Repair the damage with the glue that is Lucas, and keep the foundations of yourself, but don’t force it to be what you don’t feel is right,” Will explained as they neared home.

Lucas contemplated this, Will was ever witty, and insightful, he was pleased. “Yes, you’re right, Will. One thing is for certain and that is that I’m very fortunate to have you.” 

“Yes.” Will never thought fortunate would be the word that someone used to have him, not even from Molly’s mouth. He’d always been the one who felt fortunate.

Given everything, Lucas--Hannibal--felt exactly that way. They walked up to the house and he let Will in, leaving his shoes in the designated area, donning the slippers next. “We need to speak to Chiyoh first, but you need more water, Will.”

“I’m really okay.” Will did the same and followed, but Chiyoh was nowhere to be found in the house, at least.

“I need to clean up, then I will speak with Chiyoh. She is likely outside,” Lucas said, and turned to take Will’s jaw in his hand. He leaned in, kissing him slowly. “I love you, with all of my forms, Mylimasis.”

“I love you, too.” Will kissed Lucas, showing him just how much as they walked back to the showers, where they both needed to clean up from the sweat.

Lucas removed the residual blood and sweat, cleaning up properly. He was sore, but he didn’t mind at all. Once they finished and dried off, they dressed. “Would you like to accompany me to speak with her?” 

“Yeah.” Will nodded his head, taking Lucas’ hand. “I’m sure she’ll be glad to be rid of us.”

“Perhaps, yeah,” Lucas chuckled, walking with Will out towards the backyard. He looked around for Chiyoh, not seeing her right away. Then he heard a rustling from the treeline. Above them, she perched, watching them now though it was clear was hunting before then.

Dropping down, she landed gracefully. “You’ve made trouble for yourselves.”

“It found us, or me, rather. An old friend from Baltimore, a mutual friend of Will’s and my own,” Lucas explained, looking at Chiyoh with that familiar mirth in his eyes, combined with gratitude. “I nearly died, but it served to bring back some memories, most of them. Now we are going to have to go again, but I wanted to thank you for everything, and apologize for my rudeness earlier.” 

Chiyoh looked them both over. “Are you alright?” There was a stubborn, protective quality to her Will admired.

“I’m fine,” Will insisted, but he worried about Lucas, the mental and physical damage caused once again by Matthew.

“I am fine too,” Lucas said, his lip swollen and brow as well. He kept a strong demeanor though, even if he felt himself straddling the line of stability, threatening to fall to one side or the other--in the ocean or safely on land again. 

“Very well. There’s a place in Ireland you can go. I can call for the plane to be ready and take you,” Chiyoh said. “I will not go with you. This is my home now.”

“Understood, I was thinking of that very place. Thank you,” Lucas said, and then went in to hug her. It wasn’t something Hannibal would do, but Lucas was that way. It even surprised himself, in all honesty.

Chiyoh, with wide eyes, patted Lucas’ back gently, and only offered Will a look. “I’ll go set it up.”

Once she was gone, Will turned to Lucas. “I guess we should go pack again.”

“It seems so, skat,” Lucas said, clapping a hand on Will’s shoulder, rubbing as he gazed at him. “I think this will be the last time. I hope it will. The place is what Lucas… or I… was referring to when I said a place in the countryside. There’s a lake nearby, so we can fish there. I know I didn’t like many outdoor sports before, but I enjoy it now.” 

“Our own little spot of heaven,” Will whispered and leaned to hug Lucas, arms around his shoulders. “It sounds perfect.”

“Anywhere with you, is perfect,” Lucas whispered back, kissing Will softly. “I cannot wait to prepare you a meal like we used to have in Baltimore.” 

“What? No more burgers and fries and frozen pizza?” Will chuckled, leaning in, their heads resting together.

“Maybe on occasions,” Lucas chuckled, thumbing along Will’s jaw. He hated to admit that he did like burgers and frozen pizza, had grown a fondness for flannel and dogs. It would be all about balance, since he very much still had elegant taste, and enjoyed culture, style, and beauty. “If you want, hm?”

“We can discuss it,” Will chuckled, breathing in deeply, taking in every bit of his beau, Hannibal and Lucas alike.

“Yes, indeed we will,” Lucas grinned, winking, and then let go of him. “We should get packed before the body floats to the top of the hot springs and is discovered. 

“I’m sure it already has been.” Will let go, either way, and lead them back upstairs to their room. They packed the little but they had, and got the dogs settled once more in the car Chiyoh was waiting out front with for them.

Lucas put their bags in the trunk, then walked over to Chiyoh. “If you are ever out our way, please do come by,” he said, offering her a smile. “Always remember. Between iron and silver.”

Chiyoh nodded her with respect, and patted his arm. “Leave the car at the airport, someone will bring it back.”

“Of course,” Lucas nodded, and then got into the driver’s side. Once Will was in and they were buckled up, dogs resting in back, he drove off with a wave to Chiyoh. “Are you sad to see us go?” 

“From here?” Will asked, brows raised. “No. Home is you.”

Lucas smiled at that, taking Will’s hand to kiss as they headed down the road, to a new life. Hannibal would continue to go by Lucas and he knew he would soon find that balance he was seeking. It was made more possible due to the man at his side. They were bound together always, unconditionally. With a gentle squeeze, he nodded, “And you are mine, Mylimasis.”


End file.
